193. Half of the Portuguese can not pay dentists, professionals are beginning to seek work in foreign countries

Around half the population is unable to pay the dental consultation, which is detrimental to oral health and dental is driving other countries to seek to exercise the profession. "We estimate that about 50 percent of the population is not able to pay even a dental consultation in private. While no dentists in medical centers or health systems issue, they will be excluded from the oral health, "he said in an interview the agency Lusa the president of the Association of Medical Dental, Orlando Monteiro da Silva.

The Order must strive to have dentists in the health centers and hospitals Portuguese or to create systems with the private agreement. Orlando Monteiro da Silva cited a study by University of Liverpool, where Portugal is given to "the darkest scene in Europe" in oral health care.

It is largely the lack of supply by the National Health Service (NHS) at the level of dentistry that is creating an excess of professionals in the country and Order regrets the "lack of planning for human resources." "If the population is replaced every access to oral health care, doctors dentists probably arrive hand, estimated Orlando Monteiro da Silva. But as this is not the case, dentists are trying to Portuguese other countries: "We are exporting human resources for deficit countries such as England and Holland, the Nordic countries because the profession is no longer attractive." Portugal and Poland are the countries that contribute most to the health services of the NHS oral English, for example.

Estimates indicate that the Order within three years, in 2010, there will be a dentist for every 1,180 inhabitants in Portugal. In comparison, Spain has a professional for every 2,667 inhabitants, the Netherlands one for each 2,118 inhabitants and the United Kingdom one per 2,105 citizens. The projections of the number of doctors and dentists for the next years show "a lack of over-training of graduates." "The result will inevitably be the increase in unemployment and under-employment in the class," refers to the Order.

In Portugal, only the autonomous regions have oral health systems to serve users of the NHS. In the Azores there are 19 dentists in the medical system of regional public health and Order provides that in some years, the Azores are the best indicators of oral health. Already in Madeira, there is an agreement between the regional health service and private, in which the public partly reimburses the cost of users that use private dentists.

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This blog is just to alert the national and international community about oral health policy in Portugal followed by all governments since April 25, 1974. Please do come and ask that this appeal to all health care organizations in Portugal and in the case of finding abroad, you get your voice revolt from all international bodies where Portugal is represented, denouncing the violation fundamental rights of the population in access to oral health care within the country.

I also thank the help we can give to translate this blog into other languages, enabling a greater knowledge and international reporting about what is happening in the area of oral health in Portugal.