On June 21, the first institutional meeting of the Sindicato dos Médicos Dentistas (SMD) took place at the Ministry of Health with the current executive. The meeting discussed various issues related to the current demands of the profession and their implications for professional activity.
During the meeting, the SMD showed “indignation at the current oral health of the Portuguese, stressing the importance of good oral health for the general health of individuals. We have one of the worst oral health indicators in the European Union and we are the third OECD country where it is most difficult for citizens to access oral health care. Considering that there is a surplus of dentists in Portugal, this situation becomes even more inexcusable,” the SMD said in a statement.
The syndicate stressed the importance of having an Oral Health Plan in Portugal, with regulations, and denounced various situations, namely the cases of Oral Health Offices set up with the support of the PRR without dentists and others without the minimum conditions for safe practice of dentistry.
In addition, “the SMD demanded the immediate creation of a special career for dentists, allowing them to be truly integrated into the NHS. Colleagues who work in the civil service are poorly paid, illegal, and do not have good working conditions.
The need to reformulate the dentist’s vouchers, which no longer serve the patient or the dentist, was discussed. The SMD said it was a disguised exploitation by the state of the profession. These millions of euros could be used to invest in other proposals put forward by the SMD,” they say.
Another of the topics discussed at the meeting was the change in health advertising, and a dossier was handed over with demands and proposals: ” It is worth noting the proposal put forward for the creation of an oral health program with the integration of the 6.500 private dental units into basic care and the hospital hiring of dentists for emergency appointments”.
Finally, the syndicate showed “willingness to collaborate” and after analyzing the proposals presented, another meeting will be scheduled.
