Resumo

DANTAS, Jacira Pereira et al. The role of the occupational dentist in the context of public policies for workers' health: review article. RFO UPF [online]. 2015, vol.20, n.1, pp. 115-121. ISSN 1413-4012.

Objective: To perform a literature review on the role of the occupational dentist in the context of public policies, focusing on workers' health. Materials and method: In this bibliographic study, a search was made with the following descriptors and their corresponding English terms: workers' health, occupational dentistry, and workers' oral health, in the databases of the Health Virtual Library (BVS - Scielo, Lilacs and BBO) during the period from 2002 to 2013. Results: The present work discussed three thematic categories, namely: Category 1- Dental problems/oral health conditions of workers, Category 2- Absenteeism by dental causes, and Category 3- Knowledge of the specialty of occupational dentistry and recognition of the importance of workers' oral health. Final considerations: It is noted, over the years, that although there have been efforts to regulate public policies for oral health, workers' oral health has not been properly dealt with the professional practice of occupational dental surgeons and their teams.

Palavras-chave : Occupational health.; Occupational dentistry.; Oral health..