Use and resolubility of the oral health public services offered to children in a large municipality

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the effect of caries severity and socioeconomic conditions on use of oral health services and treatment situations (completed treatment, evasion, referral) among children with dental treatment needs, using the Unified Health System. Methods: Cross sectional study performed among children up to six years old, with dental treatment needs, coming from public schools in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, examined by the Oral Health Teams in the annual survey of oral health, in 2014. Variables were collected by consulting the medical records and information systems. Services were used by children who had attended the dental appointment at least once. The severity of caries considered the number of cavitated teeth. The socioeconomic variables were: age, sex, skin color and family socioeconomic classification. Resolubility was assessed by the ratio between completed treatment and first appointment. Evasion was defined by absence in more than two consecutive unjustified appointments. Association was tested by chi-square test and Poisson regression. Results: The frequency of services use was 44.3% and there was greater use by children with treatment needs in 4 to 8 teeth (PR=1.48, 1.23-1.78) and in more than 9 teeth (PR=1.80, 1.32-2.46) and lower in those with very high socioeconomic risk (PR = 0.79, 0.63-0.99). The resolubility was of 49.6% and 5.2% abandoned the treatment. Children with lower socioeconomic status presented lower resolubility and greater avoidance. Conclusion: The results suggested a persistent iniquity, with less use and resolubility of oral health services among children presenting worse socioeconomic status.