Cirurgião dentista e técnico em saúde bucal : encontros ou desencontros na relação no trabalho

Abstract

This study considers unveiling the perspectives that two dental professionals, Dentist (D) and Dental Hygienist (DH) have about their relationship and the impact that such a relationship has on their work providing basic services in dental health. The development of this relationship is still recognized as a work in progress for a successful teamwork. This incomplete development harkens back to a historical context in which the DHs have had a difficult time establishing themselves in the dental profession due to the opposition of the dentist with their corporatist orientation. In order to better understand the complexity of the relationship between these two groups of professionals from their educational backgrounds to their work development, the analytical framework of this study is drawn from several authors, such as Michel Foucault, Pierre Bourdieu and Bruno Latour. The methodology is qualitative, and its approach is exploratory and descriptive. The subject-participants were drawn from dental professionals in five municipalities of the State of Espirito Santo, Brazil. A purposive sample was drawn from Ds and DHs employed by the Department of Health of the following municipalities: Cariacica, Serra, Viana, Vila Velha and Vitoria. The main technique for this research was Focus Groups which were conducted in groups separated by their professional categories. The data was analyzed using the content analysis technique described by Bardin (2009) whereby the information to be analyzed was first selectively identified; second, it was realized an exploration of the material with a confection of a net of categories and third, the interpretation of the information was documented in two articles. The first article focuses on the perception of the DSs, who acknowledge difficulties but believe in starting a new history by drawing from Bruno Latour’s mediation and network ideas. In the second article, the perception of difficulties by the DHTs are not limited to technical issues, they expand to what Bourdieu’ habitus explains as the field of interests, power and resistance, taking the communication as a mediator of relations.