Oral Health Policy in Brazil: transformations in the period 2015-2017

Abstract

This study analyzed the implementation of the Oral Health Policy in Brazil between 2015-2017 in four  components: institutional actions, implementation,  financing and results. The Ministry of Health (MS)  websites were monitored and secondary data were  collected regarding institutional actions of the MS,  implementation of Primary Dental Care and Specialized Dental Care, results, and  financing. Between 2015 and 2017, there was a 5.8%  increase in the number of Oral Health Teams and a  6.4% increase in the number of Dental Specialties  Centers. Coverage for the dental consultation fell from 14.6% in 2015 to 10.5% in 2016 and 8.3% in 2017.  There was a slight reduction in federal funding in 2017 compared to 2016. A restrictive political scenario for oral health was found in 2016 in the smaller  implantation of new services, with successive changes  in the oral health policy national coordination. It is  necessary to deepen the study on the financing of the policy, since the financial contribution of 2016-2017 is not consistent with the little advance in the implantation and tendency of maintenance of results,  with decrease of specific indicators such as the first  programmatic dental consultation.