Resumo

SILVA, Carlos José de Paula et al. The education of Dental Assistants in the UFMG School of Dentistry. Arq. Odontol. [online]. 2011, vol.47, suppl.2, pp. 72-76. ISSN 1516-0939.

The education of dental assistants configures as one of the fundamental strategies to achieve the goal of raising the levels of oral health within the Brazilian population. This article aims to present the experience of the School of Dentistry from the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG) in the education of dental assistants in oral health. The UFMG School of Dentistry has a history of commitment to changes imposed by the evolution of practice models, which are more firm and focused on the true needs of the population. Based on this prinicple, the UFMG School of Dentistry has been implementing a proposal for the training and education of dental technicians and assistants, as well as the training of dental assistants in oral health, since the mid-1990's. The course is currently structured with education methodologies aimed at preparing these professionals for current market needs, the work developed by the health care team, as well as the healthcare needs of the population in general. From a didactic point of view, the course seeks to provide opportunities for internships and clinical and laboratory training, in turn contributing to the experience gained in public health as well as in individual services or private clinics. The role of the public university is to help present answers and solutions that bring benefits to society as a whole, as well as to to provide the proper training for professionals to act as multipliers of the generated knowledge.

Palavras-chave : Oral health.; Dental auxiliaries.; Human resources formation..