The purpose of this study was to evaluate the perceptions and opinions of dental students from two different Dentistry Schools in Brazil, both known here as Dentistry Schools 1 and 2 about the Family Health Program - FHP. The study analyzed if the Dentistry Schools had any influence on the students, graduating professionals with humanitarian and social sensibility, which are considered very important prerequisites for those who wish to work on this governmental health program, as well as searching for professional expectation of the students. Individual questionnaires were applied by only one researcher among the students who took part in the study. Answers were analysed by the Epi-Info program and results showed that difficulties related to the job market may be influencing students to join the FHP. Results also reveal that students consider technician an important prerequisite for dentists who wish to work on this governmental program. Significant statistical differences between the students were found: those who were graduating in Dentistry School 1 seemed more adequate to FHP and the reason for this difference may be the Supervised Training Program, a unit available on this Dentistry School that enables the students face the reality of FHP, as well the social and economical reality of the families assisted by this program.
Family Health Program; Dentistry teaching
