Dentistry and supplementary health: regulatory framework, health promotion policies and quality of care

Abstract

Based on the regulatory framework and an overview of dentistry in supplementary health, this paper discusses the specifics of the dental sector with respect to health promotion policies and quality of health care services proposed by the National Supplementary Health Agency (ANS). The State's activities in supplementary health are based on law 9.656/98, which defines the relations between operators, products and their beneficiaries, and law 9.961/2000, which created the ANS. Concomitantly there was a great increase in dentistry in the private health plan market, because of changes in the practices of the profession. This required the need to know the logic of the organization of the services regarding the assistance provided and the model of care. The ANS develops measures to encourage operators to implement health promotion programs, striving for an integral care model. At the same time, it promotes the qualification policy of supplementary health care, with emphasis on the scope of care, though in dentistry the focus of evaluation is still individual and fragmented care. Indeed, the great challenge of dentistry is making it a public health policy, accessible to all, and the qualification of dental care in supplementary health.