ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the association of oral health indicators and social variables on the frequency of visit to the dentist by persons with intellectual disability (ID). Material and Methods: The study comprised a sample consisting of 149 participants with ID, aged from 11 to 29 years, from non-governmental institutions. Semi-structured interviews were held to collect sociodemographic and psychosocial information with their parents/guardians, followed by oral health evaluations in accordance with World Health Organization criteria. Crude analyses and multiple analysis were conducted to test whether oral health indicators and social data were predictors of the visit to dental care services. Results: In the multiple logistic regression model, individuals with lower DMF-t (OR=3.13; 95% CI=1.40-6.97) and those with less crowded housing (OR=2.33; 95% CI=1.06-5.12) presented less frequency of visits to oral health services. Conclusion: DMFT and crowded housing are associated to the frequency of persons with intellectual disability to dental care as well as this outcome measure affects the oral health of persons with ID. Therefore, identifying limiting factors to dental care of persons with intellectual disability is needed so that this group can receive adequate attention.

Os Centros de Especialidades Odontológicas (CEOs) foram criados dentro do contexto da Política Nacional de Saúde Bucal e a principal função desses estabelecimentos é servir como unidades de referência em atenção secundária à saúde bucal no SUS, devendo oferecer pelo menos os serviços de estomatologia, periodontia especializada, cirurgia oral menor, endodontia e atendimento a pacientes com necessidades especiais. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a qualidade dos Centros de Especialidades Odontológicas da região serrana do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, por meio da satisfação dos pacientes com necessidades especiais ou de seus acompanhantes. Os dados foram coletados de 159 usuários utilizando um questionário semiestruturado individual auto-aplicado padronizado. Os resultados indicaram uma avaliação positiva na maioria das dimensões, exceto na acessibilidade. Diferenças significativas (p < 0.05) foram observadas entre os serviços nas seguintes dimensões de qualidade: acessibilidade, resolutividade, qualidade técnico-científica, eficiência, eficácia e aceitabilidade. A análise dos dados qualitativos, por meio da técnica do Discurso do Sujeito Coletivo (DSC) e das representações sociais, apresentou cinco ideias centrais sobre a satisfação e insatisfação dos usuários com os serviços dos CEOs (cuidado humanizado, resolutividade do serviço, competência profissional, infraestrutura e organização do serviço, acesso aos serviços). Em conclusão, a maioria dos pacientes com necessidades especiais e seus acompanhantes estavam satisfeitos com os serviços dos CEOs, embora houvesse diferenças significativas entre os serviços dos CEOs em relação à satisfação dos indivíduos.

The Dental Specialties Centers (CEOs) were created within the context of the National Oral Health Policy, and the main function of these establishments is to serve as units of reference in secondary oral health care in the Brazilian national health system (SUS), and they must offer at least the services of stomatology, specialized periodontology, minor oral surgery, endodontics, and attendance to patients with special needs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of the CEOs in the mountain region of the Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, in the perspective of the patients with special needs care or their companion’s satisfaction. Data were collected from 159 users by using a standardized self-applied individual semi-structured questionnaire. The results indicated a positive evaluation in most of the dimensions, except the accessibility dimension. Significant differences ( p < 0.05) were observed between the services of the following dimensions of quality: accessibility, resoluteness, technical-scientific quality, efficiency, efficacy, and acceptability. The analysis of qualitative data, through the discourse of the collective subject technique (DCS) and social representations, showed five central ideas about users’ satisfaction and dissatisfaction with CEOs services (humanized health care, resoluteness of the service, professional competence, infrastructure and organization of the service, access to the services). In conclusion, most patients with special needs care and their companions were satisfied with specialized dental centers (SDC) services, although there were significant differences among SDCs services in relation to individuals’ satisfaction.