433. The confusion of dental checks

National Health Service has issued half a million checks

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With nearly half a million of first dental checks already issued, the National Oral Health will now be extended to children in middle ages. An extension that is not good, since on the one hand, takes children who missed the validity of the check request in 2009 and, second, extending treatment to those that attended last year, they need more monitoring. Thus, apart from children of seven, ten and 13 years who are entitled to two or three valleys, this year's eight, eleven and 14 years of age who need to continue treatment started in 2009 may be referenced by the family doctor.

Moreover, the Ministry of Health decided to open the middle children of these ages the opportunity to once again have dental checks, once in the last school year, have seen their checks expired. At the time, the result of late delivery of the vouchers - which was valid until August 31 - many were left without treatment, as she admits herself Directorate General of Health (which yesterday issued a statement giving an account of the enlargement of PNSO). This year's checks the validity of August 31.

The Secretary of State for Health ensures that the objective in the long term is to ensure oral health care to all children and young people aged between four and 16 years. Manuel Pizarro does not advance, however, that a deadline for universal coverage. Is incremental, told JN. We have a ways to go compared to other countries, he admits.

For the other groups covered by PNSO, Manuel Pizarro speaks in reasonable compliance of pregnant women followed in the health centers, but the low participation of the elderly beneficiaries of the solidarity supplement. A delay that gives the poor access to information. We have to work on a dissemination strategy of the measure.

Checks are issued by family doctors in health centers, giving the user the possibility to choose the private practice who understands among dentists PNSO adherents. Recently, a controversy broke out involving the national debt to these professionals, a problem that is recognized by the Ministry of Health administrative services were not able to answer the flood of checks in the North and Center. But the commitment is to regulate the payments until the end of the month, ensures Pizarro.

Jornal de Notícias

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A genuine confusion at the level of dental checks:

- sometimes others are not bald;

- those studying in public schools are entitled to dental check, since those who study in private education is not entitled to dental check;

- Is for all children but do not know if it's for when I have more than 18 years;

- at any time to change the rules;

- the Court has already drawn the attention of the government because of dental checks are a way to further accentuate the disparities between haves and have no access to oral health;

- nobody takes the elderly to the offices of dentists;

- are appalling delays in payments to dentists.

Finally, a complete farce or shame in that nothing is meant to illustrate the design and that the Ministry of Health, Directorate General of Health and Assciação the Order of Dentists traced to the oral health of children, young and old Portuguese.

Just like to know how do you know the treatment needs of each person before even beginning the treatments. And then, if the budget allocated to each child, young or old is exhausted, who will bear the rest of the treatments?