Evaluation Instruments in Dental Extension: Experience in Indigenous Oral Health

Abstract

University extension is an important strategy for fostering integration between universities and society, especially in the health field, by promoting actions that combine teaching, research, and social intervention. In the context of Indigenous populations, these initiatives become even more relevant due to sociocultural and territorial specificities, as well as limited access to health services. This study aims to describe the recording and evaluation instruments used in an oral health extension activity directed to the Indigenous groups Parakanã and Assurini, highlighting their contribution to the systematization and improvement of the activities developed. This is a descriptive study with a qualitative approach, characterized as an experience report. The activity was carried out by undergraduate Dentistry students and involved educational actions and dental care. The instruments used included clinical record forms, user satisfaction questionnaires, faculty evaluation of student performance, assessment of quality indicators, and a student self-assessment tool. Approximately 38 Indigenous individuals participated, aged between five and 58 years, presenting different oral health needs. The results showed that the use of structured instruments improves the organization of the work process, as well as the monitoring and evaluation of quality indicators of extension activities. It is concluded that the use of these instruments significantly strengthens extension initiatives, promoting more organized, effective, and culturally appropriate interventions aligned with the intercultural context of the communities served.