Abstract
This situation analysis of health promotion and oral disease prevention in the contracting unit of primary health care under the health care coveraage insurance policy is a qualitative study. The sample consisted of 48 contracting unit of primary health care located in 8 purposively selected studied areas which are Chiangmai, Nhan, Khonkhane, Bureerum, Songkla, Phattalung, Prathumthanee, and Bangkok. The depth interview using semi-structured questionnaire and the observation techniques were used in the stage of data collection. The respondents were the executive officers, those who involved in the health care service under the health insurance for all policy at the province level, dentists, dental hygienists, and resident population. The study period is between July, 2002- March 2003. The summary is reported as followed. The result of this study was the dental benefits specified in the insurance are conformed with the existing dental service provided prior to the insurance program. These include the general dental treatment such as filling, extraction, scaling, root canal treatment, and prosthodontic treatment, and also the heath promotion and prevention activities such as screening for the high risk group, oral health education, dental sealant and fluoride therapy. The main target groups for health promotion and prevention program are the pregnant women attending ANC, preschool children in WBC and child care centers, primary school children and the elderly. But the activities were decreased because of the increasing of the treatment for dental care in the CUP, approximately 15-20%. Most dentists were lack of understanding in the concept of health promotion and skill in empowerment for the people to take care themselves. The other workload in the hospital, such as , hospital accreditation activities, were the condition for dentists to step down their oral health care promotion and prevention activities. However, most of them still had a good attitude for the principle of the health care insurance project, but they were not agree with the propaganda on the “ 30 bath for all treatment “.
