Aplicação do tratamento restaurador atraumático pelos cirurgiões-dentistas da atenção primária à saúde de Natal, Rio Grande do Norte

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the application and knowledge of Atraumatic Restorative Treatment (ART) among dentists in Primary Health Care (PHC), considering its relevance as an easy-to-perform, low-cost technique in combating the progression of dental caries. The survey was conducted with dentists from Health Units in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, using electronic questionnaires created in Google Forms and sent via WhatsApp, as well as physical questionnaires administered in person. The collected data were organized into spreadsheets, and descriptive statistical analyses were performed using SPSS software. Fifty-eight professionals participated in the study, of whom only one was unfamiliar with ART. It was observed that 87.9% of dentists use the therapy in public dental care. However, inconsistencies were found in professionals' perceptions of ART: 55% use it exclusively on deciduous teeth, and 37.9% believe its use is temporary. Furthermore, less than three-quarters of 8 professionals use ART outside the dental office. Regarding training, less than 20% of participants received training to perform the procedure in their current practice; despite this, over 75% consider themselves capable of performing it. Thus, although ART is widely known and used in clinical practice by primary care dentists in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, there is a clear need for institutional training on this treatment to improve its application. Furthermore, the use of the technique outside the dental office remains limited, despite its importance in carious lesion intervention.