Estefânia Paiva Martins
Oral health as an agent of social transformation: breaking cycles of poverty through preventive and accessible intervention
- General Dentist at Local Health Unit of Entre o Douro e Vouga (ULSEDV) – Primary Healthcare Unit, Arouca.
- Oral Health Service Coordinator at Local Health Unit of Entre o Douro e Vouga (ULSEDV).
- Oral Health Liaison Officer with the Executive Board of the National. Health Service (SNS) and Local Health Unit of Entre o Douro e Vouga (ULSEDV).
- Member of the General Council & Oral Public Health Working Group at Portuguese Dental Association.
- Clinical Specialization Course in Oral Pathology Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Porto.
- Member of Portuguese Association of Public Service Dental Practitioners (APOMED-SP).
- Postgraduate Program in Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto.
- Master’s Degree in Forensic Genetics Faculty of Biology, University of Porto.
Nationality: Portugal
Scientific areas: In Our Agenda (Oral Health as an Agent of Social Transformation)
8 of november, from 14h30 until 16h00
Innovation Box
Conference summary
Oral health is a fundamental tool in breaking cycles of poverty, promoting self-esteem, quality of life, and, above all, social inclusion.
Currently, oral healthcare is not accessible to all and, as it is predominantly provided within the private sector, a large portion of the population remains vulnerable to severe oral health problems.
These issues have a direct impact on absenteeism rates in both the workplace and schools, as well as on access to the labour market. This situation increases existing inequalities, placing socioeconomically disadvantaged populations at risk of extreme poverty.
Prevention, combined with accessibility, is essential for oral health to truly play a decisive role in combating poverty and social inequality.