This study proposes the use of a methodological approach in Dentistry that is also deployed in qualitative research: Grounded theory. The proposal is to use it whenever the intention is to understand phenomena or describe them from a subjective standpoint. Researchers are using the qualitative approach more and more often in health studies, and, in Dentistry, a methodological approach such as this has become essential in order to explore subjects that have not yet been addressed through this methodological approach, endowing studies with original contributions and improving knowledge. The steps to be followed are presented and illustrated by some examples drawn from interviews conducted during a study aimed at understanding the experience of older persons with regard to oral health during their life spans, in parallel to the development and validation of a theoretical model that is representative of such experience.
Grounded theory; Qualitative research; Oral health; Symbolic interactionism
