EXTENSION PROJECT: “WE ON THE NET: CONTRIBUTIONS FROM DENTISTRY TO POPULAR EDUCATION AND HEALTH PREVENTION”

Abstract

Health education is basically a set of knowledge and oriented practices for disease prevention and health promotion, prioritizing the relation with the population and recognizing consumers as health-disease-care process knowledge owners about. This movement comes up against the fixed modalities of hegemonic service, yet becoming a challenge. The Extension Project: “We on the Net: Contributions from Dentistry to Popular Education and Health Prevention” has as a starting point the previous knowledge of the popular classes, in search for critical sense in the oral health field that makes people understand, commit, charge and change themselves. As specific objectives the dissemination of educational and preventive practices in oral health are emphasized, focusing popular education in health to the poor, and an opportunity to scholars involved in the experiences to live the space complexity, helping to build a permanent space of discussion about the innumerable health determiners and conditioners. The Project began in February 2009, in the Community Jardim Los Angeles, in Ponta Grossa/PR, with the locals and the families’ recognition through questionnaires, informal talks and observation. By knowing how the families understand the oral health-disease process and the exposition of their necessities, the actions of the project were outlined and their execution, guaranteed on weekly home visits. As possible practices, the teachers and the volunteer scholars had dissemination of knowledge, auxiliary educational instruments, normative methods of prevention in oral health and the possibility of a reference system for the dental assistance available. Approximately 80 families effectively participated of the proposed actions and around 55 people received individualized attention. As a result women’s participation is highlighted as multipliers of health information before their families, and the children interest for the continuous learning. Yet, regarding scholars, the recognition of the contextualization of theoretical knowledge as an important instrument for the teaching and learning process is emphasized. We conclude that educational-preventive activities in oral health towards families are a practice full of restrictions and challenges, but also a sole opportunity to change existent knowledge, with views to autonomy and to one’s responsibility in health care.