Abstract Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of early childhood caries and its association with Child's Programmatic Action dental visits in a Primary Care Service. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was carried out at the Health Centers of the Grupo HospitalarConceição Community Health Service in Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. Mothers answered a questionnaire containing socioeconomic data, eating habits and oral care of their children. Caries examination was performed by two examiners calibrated using WHO criteria. Results: Eighty-one children with mean age of 58.8 (SD=4.8) months were evaluated, 58% were male. Caries prevalence was 43%, with mean dmft = 1.7 and mean dmfs = 3.09. In the multivariate analysis, there was a statistically significant association of caries with maternal schooling (PR=1.31, 95%CI=1.06-1.62, p=0.012), family income (PR=0.93, 95% CI=0.90-0.97, p<0.001), adequacy of the number of childcare visits (PR=0.68, 95%CI=0.54-0.86, p=0.001) and number of visits to the dentist (PR=1.04, 95%CI=1.01-1.06, p=0.001). Conclusion: Ensuring access to childcare and early dental consultation, while the family context is disregarded, does not seem to be enough to reduce caries. It is necessary to think of non-conventional oral health promotion strategies in Primary Health Care taking into account the territory and social determinants since changes to eating and oral hygiene habits and behaviors are still a challenge to the control of childhood caries.

Objetivo: Analizar el uso de las tecnologías de información y comunicación (TIC) por odontólogos que egresaron a partir de 2002 en el estado de Rio Grande do Sul Brasil. Método: Análisis estadístico descriptivo de los datos de 217 cuestionarios on line con el software SPSS y Test Chi-Cuadrado para la obtención de los porcentajes de las variables de comparación (p<0,05). Resultados: El 61,8% son graduados en facultades públicas y 55,8% tiene, al menos, una especialidad. El consultorio particular como lugar de trabajo surge en 62,2% de las respuestas; 88,9% no utilizan la historia clínica electrónica, siendo la TIC que más desean incorporar a su práctica, constando en el 53,6% de las respuestas. El 87,2% considera que la informatización ayuda en la práctica clínica reconociendo el 78,9%. La mayor dificultad para la incorporación fue el alto costo (67%). Conclusión: La mayoría de los participantes posee equipamientos electrónicos, pero esa práctica no se extiende al consultorio y menos aún a servicios públicos. La informatización ayuda en la práctica clínica, brindando mayor agilidad y practicidad

Objective: To analyze the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) by dentists graduated since the year 2002 in the state of Rio Grande do Sul Brazil. Method: Descriptive statistical analysis of data from 217 on-line questionnaires with SPSS software, using the Chi-square test to obtain the percentages of variables compared (p < 0.05). Results: 61.8% graduated from public colleges and 55.8% have at least one specialty. Private practice as a workplace appeared in 62.2% of responses; 88.9% do not use electronic medical records, which is the ICT they desire most to incorporate to their practice, appearing in 53.6% of responses. 87.2% believe that computerization aids clinical practice, 78.9% reporting agility. The biggest difficulty for incorporation was the high cost (67%). Conclusion: Most participants have electronic equipment, but this practice does not extend to the office and even less to public services. Computerization aids clinical practice providing more flexibility and convenience