O controle das consultas odontológicas dos bebês por meio da carteira de vacina: Avaliação de um programa-piloto desenvolvido na estratégia saúde da família em Ponta Grossa (PR, Brasil)

Abstract

This study evaluated a concept-program developed in the area of a Family Health Unity, which monitored, for two years, the returns of infant children to regular attendance by the dentist, through their vaccines cards. A cross-sectional study was conducted, involving a convenience sample of 123 children aged 12 to 36 months, residents in the area. Data were collected during a campaign of immunization, in 2007, through a questionnaire answered by parents, vaccines cards checking, and clinical examination of children. The results showed that 81% of the examined children were registered in the FHU for dental care; from them, 95% had entered before reaching one year of life, having vaccines cards registration. It was also found that 50% of the children had visited the dentist more than once per year of life and 58% of them returned for dental appointments in the year before the survey. The prevalence of dental caries was lower in this group of children (17%), than in the group without frequent returns, or the one not registered in the FHU (26%). It was concluded that the accines card can be a useful tool for tracking the frequency of babies to dentist.