Dentistry sectors: advances and challenges of the profession
In fact, the issues that permeate oral health and the performance of the Dental Surgeon in contributing to the valorization of Dentistry are numerous and wide. In view of this, in recent decades, Dentistry has undergone several transformations regarding society's understanding of the profession, changes in the way professional training and practice occur, the emergence of new technologies combined with applicability, aspirations and perspectives of trained professionals and, even, due to changes in laws and conduct that govern the changing labor market.
Thus, it is known that there is a need to monitor aspects related to scientific, technical and social trends in the practice of Dentistry, such as the different sectors that the area proposes: teaching and research; industry; day by day of the clinician; public service; and volunteering. Reconciling technical and quality knowledge with references associated with humanized practices, social enhancement and the introduction of new market practices constitutes effective measures for the recognition of the Dental Surgeon.
And to authenticate this award, celebrated on October 25, the day of the Dental Surgeon makes reference to the decree 9,311 signed in 1884, which created the first dentistry undergraduate courses in Brazil, located in Rio de Janeiro and Bahia. The creation of the courses represents the beginning of the autonomy of Dentistry as a science, knowledge and, since then, the area has been imposing itself in the academic, market and social circles, gaining a deserved place among the health sciences. With this in mind, this article proposes a discussion about the advances and challenges of the different sectors of Dentistry.
Teaching and research: scientific knowledge and its new perspectives
Currently, nothing is done without the aid of persistence. Teaching and scientific research faithfully represent the literal meaning of the word, after all, both are tools for gaining knowledge, elaborating diagnoses, measuring the population's needs, expectations and social motivations. Thus, persisting in Dentistry, whether on the academic or investigative / scientific side, is not an easy task.
According to the Dental Surgeon, coordinator of the Research Center for Biomechanics, Biomaterials and Cell Biology (CPBio) and coordinator of the Dentistry area of Capes / MEC, Carlos José Soares, within the area much is discussed whether the most important is practical knowledge or the scientific, generating a line of reasoning that leads the dental class to think that the two are conflicting. "This cannot be sustained, I understand Dentistry as a single axis in which technical quality and scientific knowledge must be combined to generate scientific evidence and quality in interventions." Carlos mentions that Brazilian Dentistry today is recognized worldwide in these two aspects, technically excellent and scientifically consolidated.
Regarding Brazilian postgraduate studies, which are very well strengthened and have an important role in this new moment of new ways of seeking knowledge, Carlos points out that “building consistent books, relevant articles, responsible and attractive lectures are ways that should be the priority in search for knowledge. ” The Dental Surgeon also emphasizes that it is necessary to stimulate critical thinking and social sensitivity. “Our research needs to be increasingly relevant, innovative and with an impact on the clinician's trajectory. We need to bring academia closer to industry, not with the pure disclosure bias that ends up distancing researchers from this medium, but so that we can influence technological innovation and create adequate technical information and protocols. However, a major challenge is to make these results reach the universe of professionals far from the academy. I have suggested and encouraged the creation of articles of translation of scientific knowledge of high relevance, for articles written in Portuguese and that combine the most relevant findings of a set of investigations with realities of clinical application so that this can be easily assimilated by clinicians and thus directly impact professional practice. These articles must be published in vehicles with wide access to the clinician. It is not necessary to encourage the departure from good science technique, but to strengthen them to go together and in a complementary way, so that this reflects in better quality in dental practice ”.
"Dental Surgeon is a divine privilege that makes me realize that I can continuously train new generations of professionals and improve people's quality of life" - Carlos José Soares.
Industry: dental market scenarios
The interaction between the Brazilian dental industry and the academic future are paired. Even knowing that any and all companies can suffer external and internal influences that can affect both the positive and the negative performance in the industry, right in their financial results at the end of the month, this fact does not prevent the growth of the large companies in the market, quite the contrary, it increasingly leverages its momentum.
The director of scientific engagement at Johnson & Johnson do Brasil, with regional scope in Brazil and Latin America, José Pelino, explains that this area is totally strategic and fundamental, as he is responsible for establishing and strengthening the connection of the industry with societies, associations of class, universities and health professionals. "We have a responsibility to make sure that all products are supported by science-based evidence and, thus, ensure transparent and sincere communication for both professionals and consumers."
Pointing on the challenges of the marketing industry, Pelino believes that linked to speed, innovation and the development of products that adequately and efficiently meet the needs of healthcare professionals and consumers, there is in fact an interference that hinders the market. For him, the goal is to provide products that promote well-being and general health promotion with accessibility to the population. "It is important to emphasize that we focus on caring for people's health from birth to adulthood, aiming to provide a healthier and quality life for all age groups".
"Dental Surgeon is to take care of prevention, condition and smile, in addition to valuing self-esteem thinking about the well-being of the human being as a whole" - José Pelino.
Clinic: management, applicability and humanization
In view of the industry turmoil and the enhancement of teaching and research, the day-to-day in the dental office may seem peaceful and somewhat cliché, however, it is known that the profession can unfold in innumerable ways and yield extraordinary fruits. However, practicing, managing technical and scientific knowledge well and running a practice is an arduous and challenging task. Helenice Biancalana, Dental Surgeon, 2nd vice-president of APCD (Paulista Association of Dental Surgeons) and director of the Department of Prevention and Health Promotion says that the office is the place where the professional projects his dreams and achievements. "The clinic is one of the activities in my profession that give me a lot of pride and pleasure, there I manage to apply and develop all my technical-scientific knowledge in order to offer the best to the client, which is the most important focus of this work".
Regarding the office management, Helenice comments that she has numerous activities that need to be developed in detail. “In addition to focus, objective, strategy, planning, agenda organization, human and financial resources, one of the differentials and perhaps the most relevant is humanization”. For the Surgeon-Dentist, who runs a clinic focused on two specialties, Pediatric Dentistry and Functional Orthopedics, treating children is to get directly involved with the family, in education, motivation and collaboration. It is necessary to conduct and have the power to convince and persuade to achieve the partnership that is so important for the success of pediatric treatment. Therefore, building patient loyalty becomes 'easy' when the bond is trust and credibility. “The child audience is very demanding and is not fooled. Love, respect and ethics are fundamental requirements for this professional relationship so involving that it practically accompanies all growth and development, from baby to adolescence”, he highlights.
"Surgeon-Dentist is much more than rescuing and maintaining oral health, it is also having excellence in conduct, skills and knowledge, through ethics and respect for Dentistry and everything that involves it" - Helenice Biancalana.
Public service: Military and Hospital Dentistry in the professional setting
Military Dentistry grows rapidly in the professional scenario. The Dental Surgeon who works within a military unit does not only carry the title of oral health professional, he starts to have responsibilities that go beyond the dental technique, which he must successfully employ when caring for the oral health of active, reserve and dependents.
According to the 1st Lieutenant Dentist of the Brazilian Army and head of the Dentistry Service of the Pastoral do Menor of the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro, Diego Michelini Carvalho Ribeiro, “Military Dentistry is the honorable way to defend the nation taking care of the oral and systemic health of its troops, who are always ready for missions in the name of the country. The Dental Surgeon in the armed forces has a promising market that provides enormous experience in the scientific and military field itself, where the then "Dental Officer" also fulfills his military role in the various missions to which he is assigned within the Health Section. of an Operational Military Organization, or in a Military Health Organization, such as hospitals, polyclinics and odontoclinics ”.
Contributing to the public service within hospitals, Hospital Dentistry meets the needs of the multidisciplinary team, which is currently very common within the hospital network. Just as Military Dentistry gained its space, Hospitalar climbed a path in the last half of the twentieth century that was decisive for the active change of the professional in the hospital environment, assisting in the care of the oral health of the patient as a whole.
Fernando Baeder, professor and coordinator of the Hospital Dentistry course at the Faculty of Dentistry of the APCD, clarifies that the area "can be defined by preventive, diagnostic, therapeutic and palliative transdisciplinary actions in oral health, performed in a hospital environment." According to Baeder, hospital dental care treats patients who are systemically compromised, people who cannot be cared for in an outpatient setting (patients ASA IV and V), patients admitted to wards or institutionalized with other underlying diseases and patients admitted to the ICU, offering greater safety for patients and professionals. “In the ICU, care has the main objective of helping to control morbidities such as pneumonia associated with mechanical ventilation in patients admitted to intensive care units.
"Being a Dental Surgeon is building smiles, expectations and providing systemic health based on oral health" - Diego Michelini
Volunteering: the experience of a Dentistry extension project
Knowing that voluntary service is an important means of facilitating dynamic and true interactions between the Dental Surgeon and the community - the one that presents socioeconomic and cultural characteristics very different from those found in the social group - the recognition of volunteering becomes notorious.
Actively taking care of the patient's oral health is the true essence of the profession, so being a volunteer in any social action is loving your neighbor, developing health, promoting changes and putting into practice the gift that brings joy, love and hope.
In this scenario, Caio Machado, president of the “Doutores sem Fronteiras” project - which aims to bring dental care to indigenous lands and riverside populations - tells about the experience of volunteering and what it adds to professional and personal life. “We let go of our ego, our intolerance and are grateful for our choice. We see that hard work, unpaid and often stressful, teaches us that our profession is beautiful and challenging. The growth of Dentistry depends a lot on these actions. We do not have the right to pass on our knowledge only to those who can afford it and Dentistry is much more than that ”.
"Being a Dental Surgeon is a human being, taking and leaving smiles wherever he goes" - Caio Machado.
From the point of view of Mauricio Querido, president of the NGO “Amigo da Vez”, which focuses on serving poor people by offering health and cultural services, “we think a lot about leaving a legacy for children. We believe that by providing information and guidance in a playful and attractive way, we lead everyone to understand the relevance that oral health has for quality of life, social and interpersonal relationships and even to get a job. In addition, these children, youth and adults take this instruction to their family and friends, disseminating the newly acquired knowledge. Consequently, they will be adults with good oral health and this is the main legacy that our NGO is leaving for these communities ”.
"Dental Surgeon, for me, is to be able to receive a bright and sincere smile in people's eyes" - Maurício Querido.
Source: Associação Paulista dos Cirurgiões Dentistas (APCD). Available at: http://www.apcd.org.br/index.php/noticias/1066/em-foco/25-10-2017/setores-da-odontologia-avancos-e-desafios-da-profissao. Access on: 10/21/2020.