Quality of Primary Health Care dental services from the perspective of users and dentists

Abstract

Objective: To assess the quality of oral health care from the perspective of users and dentists. Method: Cross-sectional study with 222 users and 16 dentists from primary health care units. Data collection with the Primary Care Assessment Tool PCATool-Brazil Oral Health. Quality was considered satisfactory when the score was higher than 6.6. Analysis using Student's t-test and Mann Whitney U test. Results: Overall score of 7.24 from the perspective of dentists and 6.39 for users. The satisfactory components from the users' perspective were: affiliation (8.42), utilization (9.17), and services available (7.14); and, from the dentists' perception, longitudinality (6.80), integration of care (7.44), information system (8.06), services available (8.85), services provided (9.39), and family guidance (7.29). The comparison of scores detected significant differences in the attributes of care integration (p<0.001), information system (p= 0.001), available services (p<0.001), services provided (p<0.001), family guidance (p<0.001) and community guidance (p=0.033); as well as in the essential (p<0.001) and general (0.005) scores. Conclusion: The results demonstrate statistical differences in the assessment of service quality between the groups, with better scores in the perception of professionals. It is expected that the study will collaborate in the implementation of strategies that qualify work processes and favor effective and efficient dental care.