Students’ perception of dental care for patients with special needs

• Autor(a) principal: Porto, Valéria Araújo
• Data de Publicação: 2022
• Outros Autores: Gellen, Paula Vitória Bido, Santos, Mariana Araújo dos, Benigno, Marlon Brendo Silva, Borges, Tassia Silvana
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por; eng
• Título da fonte: Revista da ABENO (Online)
• Texto Completo: https://revabeno.emnuvens.com.br/revabeno/article/view/1027
• topic: Pessoas com Deficiência; Assistência Odontológica; Recursos Humanos em Odontologia; People with Disabilities; Dental Care; Human Resources in Dentistry

People with disabilities are those who have a condition that requires a differentiated approach by social entities. At present this public makes up a significant part of society, therefore, it essential to create programs that facilitate care and train professionals capable of treating conditions diagnosed in patients without interference. Based on this premise, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the perception of Dentistry students with regard to providing care for patients with special needs within the extension project "A Smile". This study had a qualitative design and was conducted by means of semi-structured interviews held with 18 students who participated in the project at the dentistry clinic of an education institution in the North of Brazil. All data were collected during the periods of 2017/2 and 2018/1. Statements were transcribed and analyzed to enable presentation of the results. The questions covered knowledge about people with disabilities, the students’ motivation to participate in the project and the feelings that guided the attendance provided. The qualitative results showed mostly positive changes in the students’ perceptions because they altered their views on the concept of a disabled person, their feelings prior to attendance, adding feelings of gratitude and Realization beyond the change in the importance of the project in the academic formation. Therefore, it was concluded that the experience of attending to people with special needs within the undergraduate period contributed to the formation of more complete professionals from both technical and humane points of view.