Dental Caries in Children Aged 0 to 6 Years: Impact of Adherence to the School Health Program
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36489/saudecoletiva.2026v17i104p18814-18831Keywords:
Children Health, Dental Caries, Dentistry, Oral Health, Public HealthAbstract
Objective: Dental caries in early childhood remains a relevant public health problem in Brazil. Data from SB Brasil
2023 indicate that 41.18% of five-year-old children had at least one untreated decayed tooth. In this context, public
policies such as the School Health Program (Programa Saúde na Escola – PSE) and the Brasil Sorridente initiative
aim to expand access to oral health care. This study aimed to analyze the association between PSE coverage and
the performance of dental procedures in the 5,570 Brazilian municipalities between 2019 and 2024. Method: This is an ecological, observational, and retrospective study based on secondary data on invasive and non-invasive dental procedures and educational actions. Negative binomial regression with adjustment for overdispersion and robust standard errors was used. Results: An increase in PSE coverage was associated with a rise in clinical procedures, particularly non-invasive ones, while educational actions showed a smaller increase. Conclusion: In conclusion, although higher PSE coverage expands the provision of clinical dental care, strengthening educational actions and integrating information systems are necessary to promote oral health from early childhood.
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