Abstract

COELHO, Mânia de Quadros et al. Comparative analysis of the profile of users and access to oral diagnostic services in two universities of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Arq. Odontol. [online]. 2011, vol.47, n.3, pp. 153-161. ISSN 1516-0939.

Aim: Compare the profile of users of oral diagnostic services, taking into account the perception of the presence of oral lesions, with access to dental services at two universities of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Materials and Methods: The present research consisted of an exploratory, cross-sectional study. A questionnaire was applied by an academian in every university to patients who had been attended to in dental clinics between September 2006 and August 2007. Results: The questionnaire was answered by 200 users, 50% in each of the services, with 62% women and 38% men, at a mean of 47.7 years of age (± 16.2). Comparing the two institutions proved to be statistically significant (p <0.05) in terms of income, user occupation, forwarding of the user to other services, means of transport used to reach the health care clinic, initial identification of the injury, and self-medication. The lesion could be identified in more than 50% of the cases by the patients themselves, bearing in mind that 70% of these patients were referred to dental clinics by dentists. The time interval between the onset of the lesion and demand for the service was more than six months for 43% of the patients. Most (87%) of the users did not know of the services provided by dental schools in universities. The resolution was 93% for those who had access to the service. Conclusion: Similarity between the profile of users and their access to dental services of the two universities could be observed. Users do not have prior knowledge of these services, but had no difficulty in finding them.

Keywords : Health services; Dentistry; Oral diagnosis.