Política Nacional de Saúde Bucal Brasileira (Brasil Sorridente): Um resgate da história, aprendizados e futuro*

Background: in the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS), primary health care coordinates and structures the public health care. In 2004, when the Smiling Brazil (SB) was created, the federal government assumed an important role of inducing the growth of the supply of oral health services in the municipalities and states, creating specific funding lines for the creation of new oral health teams, for the construction and implantation of secondary care centers (Dental Specialties Centers - CEO) and tertiary care (in hospitals), among other actions, that made SB a health care network and one of the largest public health policies in the world. Purpose: this study aims to share part of this experience, in order to promote reflection on the insertion of oral health in public health systems around the world, with special interest in the countries of Latin America. Methods: this is a Brazil case study, the information presented in this study was collected through government reports and databases, published articles and key informants. Results and Conclusion: The experience of Brazil has been motivating and showed that, it is possible to insert oral health in universal public health systems. However, after 14 years and with the current political instability of the country, the future of SB will depend on the commitment of the policymakers, the engagement of the different actors involved, clear objectives and transparent strategies based on scientific evidence.