Challenges of oral health teams educational activities in primary health care: Tactics, knowledge and techniques

Abstract

Study on the educational practices of Oral Health Teams, members of the Primary Health Care in Salvador, Bahia state, Brazil. The research aimed to analyze the tactics used by Oral Health Teams for community involvement in health education programs and discuss pedagogical practices (knowledge and techniques) developed in educational activities. Qualitative approach was carried out by using 22 semi-structured interviews involving seven dentists, seven oral health assistants, six managers of health facilities and two district managers. Thematic content analysis guided the outcomes discussion. The educational model was centered on dentist’s knowledge, revealed in prescriptive and bureaucratic nature of the activities in the community. Such educational practices tend not to encourage the users’ autonomy, making them, in a sense, hostage to the hegemonic model of care focused on disease.