Perception of Public Service Professionals about Teaching-Service Integration in Dentistry

Objective: To analyze the perception of public service professionals on teaching-service integration in Dentistry. Material and Methods: This qualitative study used a guide-script for interview with four managers and another for seven dentist preceptors who participated in the years 2010-2012 of Work Health Education Program and the Extramural Internship in Health Promotion II in the Dentistry course of the Federal University of Espirito Santo, Vitoria, Brazil. The thematic content analysis proposed by Bardin was carried out by two researchers and the complete transcription of speeches obtained in interviews was analyzed. Results: Four categories on the "teaching-service integration" theme were identified: teaching-learning process, contributions to service and users, interpersonal relationships, and professional training. Professionals highlighted the exchange of experience between practitioners and academics, enrichment of the academic experience in the training field and stimulation of local productivity, as in educational activities, and good acceptance by users. However, they also reported challenges, such as the beginning of the preceptory process without previous specific preparation, and that there are limitations concerning, for example, the infrastructure and the overload of the preceptor professional. Conclusion: In the perception of professionals, teaching and service integration is a positive strategy for academicians but also for health services, although there are still challenges to be overcome.