The Order of Dentists wants to “dignify the profession”, which, in 2023, registered 465 participations, from citizens and dentists, resulting in 112 disciplinary actions, according to data from the Deontological Council and Discipline. The data was provided by the outgoing president of that council, Luís Filipe Correia, at the inauguration of the social bodies for 2024-2028, which took place this Saturday at the Champalimaud Foundation, in Lisbon.
Then, the new president of that body, João Aquino, assumed that “dignifying the profession” is the main commitment, anticipating that he will “propose changes to remedy some inconsistencies in the code of ethics”.
In his speech as re-elected president (on a single list), Miguel Pavão reaffirmed oral health as a “public utility service”, recalling that “dental treatments continue to be a mirage for many Portuguese”. Highlighting that dentistry is practiced “imminently” by young people, “many practicing abroad”.
Committed to “honoring the training of dentists”, the President added that, in this sense, the Order will meet, next week, with the Minister of Education, Science and Innovation. The president also considered that the new Government gave a “signal” that it will give the importance due to oral health, with “more than six thousand clinics” spread across the country. “It’s time once and for all for us to implement full oral health for the Portuguese, a right for everyone”, he appealed, addressing the Minister of Health, who spoke at the ceremony.
Ana Paula Martins recognized “the evident injustice in access” to oral health care in Portugal, stressing that “inequalities are unacceptable” and promising “to do everything so that all Portuguese people have the same opportunities”. Specifically, it took on the priority of “facilitating” the activities of the agreed sector, which “often faces completely avoidable barriers and bureaucracy”. Referring specifically to licensing, she said that the Government will start on Monday to work with the Health Regulatory Authority to evaluate a possible simplification, “without ever compromising safety of people”.
The minister added that the Government will reverse the current model, as it has already done in other areas, namely housing: at the end of the deadline and in the absence of a response from regulators, the projects will be tacitly approved, with the possibility of there must be an ‘a posteriori’ inspection. The Government must “facilitate and not hinder”, maintained Ana Paula Martins, reaffirming the commitment to define a new oral health program by the end of the year, as foreseen in the Government Program.
Before the new social bodies took office, grants were given to three dentists, one worth 2,500 euros and two worth 1,250 euros.
