Banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO: THAYNÁ PINTO DA COSTA LUNA

PERCEPTIONS, ATTITUDES AND PRACTICES OF AGEISM AMONG PRIMARY HEALTH CARE DENTISTS

aging; ageism; oral health; primary health care; educational film and video.

Brazil's aging population has increased the demand for healthcare that considers the specific needs of older adults. In this context, addressing ageism against older adults, understood as stereotypes, prejudices, and discrimination based on age, is urgently needed. In dentistry, gaps in geriatric dentistry training contribute to ageist practices that compromise comprehensive care for this population in Primary Health Care (PHC). Given the above, this study aims to analyze the perceptions, attitudes, and practices related to ageism against older adults expressed by dentists in the Family Health Strategy (FHS). This is a mixed-method intervention research study with a sequential exploratory strategy and a cross-sectional design. Data collection, to be carried out with dentists linked to the APS of the municipality of Brejo Santo - Ceará, will take place from November 2025 to January 2026, and will begin with the application of the Free Word Association Technique and interviews (qualitative stage), followed by a quantitative stage, consisting of the application of a structured questionnaire and the Ageism Scale for Dental Students - Brazilian version (ASDS-Br).Qualitative data will be analyzed using IraMuTeQ software, while quantitative data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics and nonparametric tests. The discussion and interpretation of results will be based on Paul Ricoeur's hermeneutic approach. As a technical and technological product, the aim is to develop an educational whiteboard animation video, translated into Libras, aimed at raising awareness among dentists about anti-ageist practices in primary care. The results are expected to inform training and educational interventions, contributing to more equitable, humane, and age-discrimination-free dental care.