Abstract

SOUZA NETO, Antonio Carlos de; ALMEIDA, Adeane Loureiro de; SANTOS JUNIOR, Paulo Rosa dos  and  NOVAES, Izabel Maia. The dentistry experience of the PET-Family Health Program at UFAL: Learning public health actions based on academic teaching-researching-extension principles. Rev. ABENO [online]. 2011, vol.11, n.1, pp. 16-18. ISSN 1679-5954.

The teaching of modern dentistry is guided by the tripod of academic teaching, research and extension. Based on these principles, the Education Program through Health Work (PET-Health) seeks to link theoretical to practical experience, taking students beyond the walls of the college with the extension leg of the tripod, and also encouraging them to perform research activities. Thus, this study aimed at reporting the activities developed according to the objectives of the PET-Family Health program, and the difficulties and expected results of proposed actions, as well as identifying problems encountered in the development of these activities. From the time it was establishment until today, UFAL PETFamily Health conducts an annual selection of students, with the prerequisite of being approved in the discipline of the Public Health II curriculum, in addition to having theoretical and practical training. This selection is followed by the internship itself, where theory is applied to practice. The results that can be underscored are the decrease in curative procedures and the increase in preventive care, the encouraging of research, the presentation of work experience in conventions and the awakening of interest in academic pursuits. We can conclude that the reality found in Family Health Centers (USF) differs from the theoretical contents grasped when issues related to population coverage, access to health services, poor living conditions, and low schooling and purchasing power levels are observed. However, the study concludes that PET-Family Health proposes changes in this situation, by urging humanistic care of patients, and striving to be holistic, thus focusing on health as multifactorial and multidisciplinary.

Keywords : Health; Dentistry; Experience.