Abstract

PARRA RAMIREZ, Gilberto  and  GARCIA CASTRO, Ligia Inés. SOCIAL REPRESENTATIONS ON DENTAL HEALTH AND ITS RELATION TO PROFESSIONAL DISCOURSE AND PRACTICES. Hacia promoc. Salud [online]. 2008, vol.13, n.1, pp.121-130. ISSN 0121-7577.

This paper presents a study aimed at recognizing the social representations on dental health had by children and their families, who attend the maxillary orthopedic services in Universidad Autonoma of Manizales and their relation to the professional discourse and practices. This is a qualitative research, manifesting a dialogue rupture among children, families and professionals. The families recognized dental health as part of general health, and occlusal health as a part of dental health. However, they do not recognize occlusal health as part of general health, but at the same time they transversalize the above mentioned three health levels by their functionality and orthopedic treatment. On the other hand, children recognized dental health and being the same as occlusal health, considering general health as a separate matter. Instead, professionals consider dental health and occlusal health an independent area in respect to general health when performing maxillary orthopedics treatments. Based on a model that could account for the interpretation presented, the general system theory is used, understanding human beings as a whole system.

Keywords : Social representations; maxillary orthopedics; dental occlusion; general health; dental health.

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