Sunday 1 November 2009

265. Regional Study on oral health in school-age population shows improvement in health care

The regional secretary for Social Affairs chaired, in Angra do Heroísmo, the public presentation of the Regional Study of Prevalence of Oral Diseases in the Population Educated in the Azores, which started in 2006 by the Executive and which shows a reduction in the incidence of dental caries in Azorean youth. According to Domingos Cunha, the document that will be delivered to all schools and health units of the Azores, clearly demonstrates that the measures implemented by the Government of the Azores and supported by the Working Group on Oral Health, resulted in favor of oral health".
Integrated in the Regional Oral Health, the study, prepared by dentists Ricardo Cabral, Madalena Mont´Alverne and Artur Lima, covered 517 children from six, 12 and 15 years, examined in schools and health centers in all the islands, and been proven to reduce the rates of dental caries in young populations of the Azores. Praising the "judicious work, methodical, with scientific and clinical support" a team led by screening, the regional secretary highlighted the regional characteristics of the study: "first, was done by professionals who are active in the region, and second, is the first directed study in the area of oral diseases; third is a study that goes from Santa Maria and Corvo".
The minister also recalled the "pioneer" of the region in this sector, having created the Bulletin Single Oral Health for the users of the Regional Health Service, through Decree No. 93/2005 of 29 December.
In the presentation of research, Dr. Ricardo Cabral stressed that the Azores are the only regions of the country that holds 25 thousand visits per year, also having a "single policy for reimbursement." The investigator said that, under this project, is already prepared the Regional Study of the Determination of Fluoride in drinking water that is intended to cover the 154 municipalities existing in the Azores.
Currently, there are 108 dentists in the Region, 15 of which are integrated into regional health centers and 14 fellows, seven of them with degree completion.
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For when the placement of a multidisciplinary team of oral health professionals in each of the groups of health centers in Portugal? For when the creation of a hierarchy which will include the provision of oral health care in the country, finally established the link between family doctors, schools, homes and families and the structures of oral health state and private nurseries in the existing country? There will be technical enough to line ministries with the ability to establish these recommendations?
Just the policy loose and having no connection with reality on the ground that the governments have been toast for years, follow up, instead, a public policy toward people because they pay taxes and need to they are provided health care.

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