Population aging requires public policies that guarantee quality of life for the elderly
through prevention, health promotion and comprehensive health care from a
perspective of interprofessional collaborative practice in the work processes of Primary
Care in the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS). Edentulism, the total loss of natural
teeth, has significant consequences on the general health and quality of life of
completely toothless patients, justifying the involvement of all members of the Family
Health Strategy (Estratégia Saúde da Família - ESF) and the Multiprofessional Team
(Equipe Multiprofissional - eMulti) in geriatric care. This article aims to analyze how
oral health care for fully edentulous elderly individuals is promoted by professionals
working in Primary Health Care, with a focus on interprofessional work and the
perspective of the elderly themselves. This is a qualitative study conducted from May
to June 2024 through semi-structured interviews and focus groups with elderly
individuals and professionals from a Family Health Unit (USF) in Palmas. Among the
conclusions, interprofessionality is highlighted as a practice that does not reach the
elderly and is not implemented, according to the professionals themselves, due to
weaknesses in their training. This research outcome led to the development of a
technical-technological product (PTT): the “Quick Guide to the Interprofessional
Management of Edentulous Elderly for Primary Health Care Professionals without
Dental Training.” This PTT is a tool to guide different professional categories in
individual and/or collective clinical situations that require a collaborative and
interprofessional approach with dental professionals, aiming to improve the overall
health of edentulous patients.
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