Tele-odontology in Brazil: Strategies and Challenges for the Training of the Healthcare Network

Abstract

Different initiatives have been undertaken to guide the telehealth process in the Brazil. The Ministry of Health structured and implemented the Telehealth Brazil Programme initially to cover nine state centres. Later, it expanded the programme to take in the whole country, at which time it became known as the Telehealth Brazil Network. Among the goals of the Telehealth Brazil Network is the development of strategies for clinical training, health education, and training for management, planning and assessment skills, designed for the Family Health Strategy teams. In this context, this paper aims to presents the potential of and difficulties in implementing tele-odontology in Brazil, focusing on teleconsulting, tele-education and telediagnostic experiences developed to date. It will also present the legal and financial support aspects established in the country, as well as the results found so far in relation to the impacts of strategies and user satisfaction. Finally, suggestions for future perspectives are presented. Related to the strategies implemented in Brazil, it is necessary to analyse the data obtained regarding the successes and failures observed over the years. The positive results obtained with tele-education showed that the Telehealth Programme presents as an efficient tool for the training of the health care network. However, points like the limited use by professionals, some technical limitations and the impact on health indicators should still be better studied.