[Evaluation of dental care coverage in the State Military Police in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil]. / Avaliação da cobertura do Serviço Odontológico da Polícia Militar da Bahia em Salvador, Bahia, Brasil.

ABSTRACT

This study seeks to evaluate dental care coverage in the State Military Police in Salvador, Bahia State, Brazil, from 2002 to 2004, estimating potential and real coverage rates. A single descriptive study was performed. Calculations were made of potential coverage rates considering hourly workloads of staff dentists and the real rates resulting from actual outpatient treatment. Potential human resources coverage was adequate (1 dentist per 1,618 policemen), while the real coverage rate was considered below the standard proposed by the Brazilian Ministry of Health (0.39 procedures per policeman per year). The low real coverage rate could be related to low productivity, the reasons for which should be investigated in greater depth in future studies, and might include organizational problems and lack of a management system to improve the quality of professional practice, with specifically defined targets.