379. National Program for Promotion of Oral Health - Report Contractualizing 2008

In the year 2008 to cover contractual allowed for dental treatment 65 371 children and youths, from 3 to 16 years. Nationally, 92% were involved in the Centers for Health. The health regions of Algarve and Alentejo developed contracting medical and dental, included in the National Oral Health Promotion, 100% of existing health centers in those regions.

For contracted health professionals, dentists and dentists, joined in 1532, more than 28% in 2007. The implementation rate in 2007 was 81% and 82% in 2008. However the number of children and young people increased by 19%. 65 000 children and youth referred for dental treatment, it moved to 80 000, 15 000 more than last year.

Of the 65 371 children and young people who actually entered into the program, 61 612 completed the dental treatment performed under the contract system (94%). The health regions of North and Centre were above the national average and both reached 98%. The health region reached 87% of the Algarve, Lisbon and Tagus Valley, Alentejo 88% and 87%.

The average number of visits per child or young person was 2.2. There is the Northern health region where the average hit it hit 2.6. Despite the difficulties concerning the treatment of children in the age group 3-5 years, the percentage of children enrolled in this case was nationally, 9% highlighting the Algarve region with the highest percentage of referrals and subsequent treatment of children group (12%).

Through the intervention had medical and dental health gains are important, particularly as regards the treatment of teeth that had lesions of dental caries. We have treated 71% of the temporary teeth and 96% of the permanent teeth that had lesions of dental caries.

The contracts with health professionals was carried out by the conclusion of a contract between two parties, private provider and the Regional Administration of Health to implement this process and obtain the results, is to highlight the commitment of professionals of the health centers, the Regional Health Administration, the contracted dentists and dentists who, in general, demonstrated unsurpassed professionalism, and all contributed to the promotion of child health and youth.

Source: Direcção-Geral de Saúde

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The report's conclusion states that were treated 65 371 children and youth from 3 to 16 years, according to INE data there are over 1 million children and young people between those ages in Portugal. Doing the math, even though each child or young person is entitled only to participate in a single year, throughout his childhood and adolescence in the software, it appears that the program has never and will never be able to cover all children and young the country.

And ask a child or young person can only have monitoring of their oral health in one single year and throughout his childhood and adolescence? Dear reader surely draw their conclusions.

Only the stubbornness in denying the right to oral health carried out on immature person can lead to such health policies, trampling rights and compromising the quality of life of those who are most needy.