Aspectos metodológicos do levantamento epidemiológico das condições de saúde bucal e qualidade da assistência odontológica entre escolares

Objective: To present methodological aspects used to carry out the “Epidemiological survey on oral health conditions among schoolchildren in a medium-sized pole city located in the North of Minas Gerais, Brazil” that proposes to evaluate oral health conditions and the quality of dental care. Methods: Methodological study referring to the creation and validation of instruments related to oral health and epidemiological investigation. Results: A complex probabilistic sample was estimated by simple stratified random clusters (5, 12 and 15 years). The planning included conducting interviews and oral exams by trained professionals and trained academics. Normative oral health conditions, subjective oral health conditions, as well as the use and access of services, the level of literacy and the quality of dental care were evaluated. Conclusion: With the described methodology it will be possible to obtain results that favor the dimension of the need for comprehensive actions enabling improvements in the strategies of inclusion of the population groups most affected in the municipal priorities of health services.