Oral health in Latin America: A view from public policies

Abstract

Introduction: In many countries, oral health is not a priority health issue, which constitutes a fundamental challenge for health systems, which must guarantee universal and equitable access to basic oral health services for all and without economic difficulties. Aim: The purpose of the article was to carry out an analysis of public policies in oral health adopted in Latin America. Methodology: The methodology responds to a narrative review, resorting to various bibliographic sources, through databases such as Pubmed, Scopus, Web of Science, SciELO and Redalyc. Results: The results indicate that most oral health policies in Latin America are focused on clinical, individualized, curative and restorative care, where health promotion and community participation continue to be the fundamental strategies to overcome deep inequalities. in health facing Latin Americans. Conclusions: It is concluded that it is essential to carry out oral health epidemiological studies in Latin America since they are part of essential tools for decision making, development, implementation and execution of policies, plans and strategies based on scientific evidence, as well as the approach multisectoral analysis of the social determinants of health.