title: [Evaluation of stomatological care in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic, stage 1].
abstract: In Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic, a study was done of the status of dental care with the long-run aim of reforming the system and increasing the integration of education and service. The study centered on the current status of that integration, which is taking place between the Federal Secretary of Public Health and Social Welfare and the Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra, respectively the service and education establishments concerned. The study is being done in two stages. In the first, carried out in 1983 and described in the article, the chief aim was to assemble information on the system considered. The methodology consisted in the selection of a sample of 61 patients treated at three centers of basic dental care in the area; use of the techniques of direct observation, interviews, measurement of the time spent on each operation, and the building up of files; and a study of all the variables that could have influenced an assessment of the situation at the time and of projections for the future. Some of the variables were the priority group, the age group, health status, progress of the treatment, and the reason for seeking care and choosing the center. It was found that 81,97% of the patients were under 14 years of age and 78,69% were between 5 and 14 years old. Most of the patients said they were in good health, although a high percentage reported having had certain diseases. Of all patients studied, 73,77% were discharged--a satisfactory figure. The main reasons for coming to the center were personal initiative and the recommendation of another, not medical referral, and the reason for choosing the center was its proximity to the patient's home. On the basis of the study the research team recommended a revision of the standards for dental services nationwide, adaptation of the work done to the physical premises, planning for the integration of education and service, the encouragement of innovative attitudes in service and education professionals and, lastly, extension of the manpower training program--with the integration of education and service--to the communities and instead of confining it to intramural instruction.
mesh_terms: D003729:Dental Care; D003752:Dental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D004293:Dominican Republic; D004497:Education, Dental / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D010349:Patient Compliance
vernacular_title: Evaluación de la atención estomatológica en Santiago de los Caballeros, Republica Dominicana, Etapa 1.