Carlos Cardoso

The distribution of healthcare professionals in Portugal continues to reveal marked contrasts between coastal and inland regions.

While major urban centres concentrate the majority of young professionals beginning their practice, other areas with lower population density remain characterized by a relative scarcity of practitioners.

This context creates an opportunity to rethink both the profession and the territorial framework in which it is exercised.

Factors such as mobility, housing availability, and the development of specific career pathways for inland regions — which have traditionally been perceived as challenges — may also serve as starting points for creative and attractive solutions.

Consequently, this moment represents an opportunity to design differentiated and territorially equitable policies, grounded in data and oriented toward measurable outcomes.

For dentists — as well as for other young healthcare professionals — the central question remains open: is practicing in inland regions primarily a matter of mission and public service, or can it also constitute an avenue for personal and professional growth and development?

This session invites a joint reflection between young professionals and policy-makers, with the aim of better understanding current dynamics and envisioning strategies that may render the interior a viable and appealing career option, alongside other professional pathways.