Conflicting situations in the reception of oral health teams from the Family Health Program in Alagoinhas, Bahia, Brazil

Abstract

The study discusses the conflicting situations that arise while receiving oral health teams in Alagoinhas, Bahia, Brazil. The main orientation for the Family Health Program is based on analyzing health care work flowcharts. The current qualitative research used semi-structured interviews and practical observation as the data collection techniques. There were 17 study subjects: group I (dentists and dental assistants - 6); group II (other health workers - 6); and group III (users - 5). Users' first contact with the family health team is in the reception, often in a tense and conflicting atmosphere, but with the potential for alternatives for change, as a privileged space for the use of low-key technologies. The therapeutic process varies: e.g. clinical consultation, emergency care, scheduled follow-up, and referral to other health services in the system. However, oral health teams conduct the reception process in different ways, depending on the practitioners' commitment and unique characteristics.