Evualuación del Programa Cero en un CESFAM del Sur de Chile

Dental caries constitute a significant public health problem due to its high prevalence, negative impact on individuals and society’s oral and systemic health, in addition to the high cost of treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the CERO program of “CESFAM Dr. Alberto Reyes”, from the commune of Tomé. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted, with a sample of 100 % of the children admitted to the CERO program, who were affiliated to the “CESFAM Dr. Alberto Reyes” from the commune of Tomé in 2018. A secondary database was reviewed corresponding to “Resúmenes Estadísticos Mensuales” (Monthly Statistical Summaries) of medical attentions and/or population under control, which is forwarded to the “Departamento de Estadísticas e Información en Salud” (Statistics and Health Information Department) by establishments and/or strategies under structural defined codes. According to results, males represent 51 %, and females 49 % of the sample. The ages with a higher number of admissions are 6 years old, representing 25 %, and 4 years old children, who almost reach 20 %. The least representing ages are 1 and 5 years old, with values lower than 10 %. It is necessary to approach this disease with a modification of the paradigm in the management of dental caries as an illness process, managing more efficiently the preventative measures aimed individually to each patient, proposing the management of dental caries through risk assessment as the CERO program does.