“Voices from the Classroom, the Desk and the Dental Chair”: Qualitative Evaluation of the Intersectoral Oral Health Program ‘Sowing Smiles’ in the Bío Bío Region, Chile.

Abstract

Aim: The Chilean national program “Sembrando sonrisas” is an intersectoral work strategy that aims to maintain and improve the oral health of preschool children, fostering the promotion and prevention of oral health. The aim of this research was to explore the perceptions of the relevant actors regarding the implementation of the aforementioned program, identifying critical nodes and opportunities for improvement. Materials and Methods: Qualitative approach based on the “Grounded Theory” applied to 13 in-depth interviews of intersectoral health and education professionals from the Bío-Bío Region, Chile. Results: The following categories emerged related to intersectoral work with emphasis on Governance, Conditions for implementation, and Program management. Conclusions: It was shown that, despite the different per-ceptions of the participants, the success of the “Sembrando sonrisas” program is thought to be associated with the emotional-affective component that is present in all the stages of the implementation process. This component has not yet been sufficiently addressed by decision makers.

Keywords

• oral health
• health policy
• intersectoral colla-boration
• oral health education
• health promotion
• grounded theory