This study focuses on dentistry professors' and students' concepts concerning the dentist's role in the Family Health Program (FHP) and proposes a contribution to training at the Centers for Continuing Education. A qualitative research method was use to construct a collective subject's discourse, based on taped interviews. The study covered three institutions of higher education in dentistry, located in the municipalities of Lins and Bauru, São Paulo State, Brazil, with two focus groups, consisting of faculty and students, respectively. After the organization of the collective subject's discourse by focus group, it was observed that both faculty and students display concepts-in-progress in relation to the dentist's role in public health. This suggests the need for greater involvement by higher education in public health services, in order to fill some gaps in training and practice by dentists in the FHP.
Family Health Program; Oral Health; Higher Education; Qualitative Research