Percepción de los estudiantes de odontologia de la ufrgs sobre la disciplina de pacientes con necesidades especiales

The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the perception of the students of the Faculty of Dentistry of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (FO-UFRGS), who studied the elective discipline of Dental Care for Patients with Special Needs (PEN), in relation to said course. A longitudinal, observational and analytical study was carried out, in which a questionnaire with 20 open and closed questions was applied to 64 students of 9th and 10th semester, who had studied the aforementioned discipline. 98.4% (n = 63) of the students felt moved and obtained a life lesson with the patients; 86% (n = 55) was identified with the dental care to PEN; 67.2% (n = 43) showed no interest in specializing in the area; however, 76.6% (n = 49) said they were prepared to attend PEN; 98.4% (n = 63) would recommend this discipline to their peers; 100% (n = 64) considered that the learning obtained was important for their academic training as a dental surgeon and that this discipline should be obligatory in the career curriculum. For the students surveyed, the discipline of Dental Care for PEN is important for their training and should be considered obligatory; it has allowed them to know a new reality and demystify their fears and preconceptions; In addition, it has made them more qualified professionals with greater empathy to serve this population.