The oral health care model in Middle and Low Xingu: partnerships, processes, and perspectives

The purpose of this article is to present the actions developed to create the health care model at the Special Indigenous District - Xingu (DSEI-Xingu); particularly regarding oral health. An effective partnership established among the following institutions University Federal of State São Paulo, University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto College of Dentistry and Colgate, allowed the development of social health praxis at Middle and Low Xingu. The "Social Space" DSEI, which throughout the history, communities have developed and, through the social process of production, create differentiated accesses to consumer goods, is the basis for organizing health care services for the indigenous population. The DSEI-Xingu considers that establishing institutional partnerships as well as the effective participation of indigenous populations in health management in their territory is essential. Structured by plans based on population-reported problems, it uses the collective construction of explanatory networks, presenting solutions at different levels through an intersectorial approach. By observing health indicators, the indigenous communities' understanding of the recent primary health care model becomes perceptible, since it has been constantly applied to their culture, tradition, and uniqueness.