Work and power in the Municipal Health Department: implementation of the Oral Health Policy in the municipality – 2007/2008

Abstract

The article examines the organization of work in a Municipal Health Department (SMS) and the  distribution of sectorial power, observing its  implications for the Oral Health Policy’  implementation. As for that purpose, the typology of  sectorial power proposed by Mario Testa (1992) was  applied. Data were collected by means of interviews  and observations conducted through the assessment instances on the Municipal Health Plan’ implementation. The results of the study showed that  the organization of work in SMS favored the  concentration of technical and administrative power  in the Oral Health Coordination, hindering the  implementation of the National Oral Health Policy in  the municipality of Salvador.