Construction of evaluation indicators in oral health for managers of the public health system of the area of Osasco, São Paulo, Brazil

Brazilian National Health System is composed by services in different levels of complexity including oral health services. In 2005, there were more than 45 thousand health establishments, among these 60% offered dental services. Therefore it is mandatory a data source system in order to control the effectiveness and productivity. The purpose of this work was to evaluate if municipal managers of those services use the basic indicators of oral health for evaluation and planning and if they consider necessary changes in these indicators. A questionnaire was sent to oral health system managers of 15 cities which compose the region of Osasco, State of São Paulo, Brazil. A research seminar and 4 workshops were organized in order to discuss the use, necessity and importance of the indicators recommended by the Brazilian Health Ministry. Ten cities answered the questionnaire and affirmed they utilize the indicators in oral health in order to evaluate (100%) and planning (90%) the services offered to population. However, the group suggested little rectifies of the indicators concerning the access index; DMFT for 12 years; changes in the public water supply fluoridation information. Construction of other quantitative indicators that reflect the service routine like number of procedures (clinical or collective actions); emergency procedures, absence index of patients and total concluded treatments in proportion of initiated ones. A change in the instruments for collecting information is necessary as the development of mechanisms to use more and with more quality the information generated in order to get reliable and useful indicators for the strengthening of the administration. Evaluation must become routine for administrators as they can be a powerful and important instrument for transformation and improvement of public health services. Supported by: CNPq 403435/2004-8