Dental specialty centers: new evaluation proposal for endodontics

Abstract

This is an analytical, quantitative, exploratory and evaluative study, carried out with data based on the Relatório de Habilitações do Sistema de Cadastro Nacional de Estabelecimentos de Saúde (Qualification Report of the National Registry of Health Establishments) for endodontic services, considering data from 2016 and 2017. It aimed to evaluate compliance with the endodontics goal at the São Paulo State’s Dental Specialties Centers, Brazil and complementation through the new proposed indicator, Specific Molar Compliance. The general and specific endodontic compliance in permanent molars was calculated, and the findings were associated with the evaluative characteristics: type of center, qualification in the contractual rule, adherence to the 2nd cycle of the access improvement program, number of endodontists and endodontics workload. 195 services were considered, of which 54% were Type II, 36% were Type I, and 10% were Type III. The number of endodontists was the only variable that remained associated with the three outcomes (Global Compliance of Goals, Specific Molar Compliance and adequacy of endodontics to ministerial directives) and center had a higher chance of reaching the target indicators if four or more professionals were working there. The new indicator of molar endodontics compliance made it possible to classify the service and the need for more endodontists as important for compliance with the indicators.