Extensão universitária e trabalho voluntario na formação do acadêmico em odontologia

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to point out the importance of the experience of undergraduate dental students in extra-curricular activities and volunteer work, as a means through which to gain essential knowledge and abilities for their professional lives. A literature review of the Medline, Scielo, and Lilacs databases was carried out in an attempt to select articles related to the university extension and volunteer work of undergraduate dental students. It is still extremely difficult to include university extension and volunteer work as an important activity in Dentistry courses. However, the presentday work market demands professionals who have expertise not only in dental techniques, but also in the socio-cultural characteristics of communities, considering that people need to be comprehensive in their psychosocial aspects in order to be treated as a complete professional. Therefore, university dentistry courses should give equal consideration to both oral rehabilitation skills and the promotion of general healthcare, acquired mainly through extracurricular activities, in an attempt to redeem the integral education of the healthcare professional. Moreover, students should pay closer attention to the opportunities offered during their undergraduate courses, as the work market for dentists is becoming more and more competitive. Moreover, the dentist whose professional life is limited to the dental office will most certainly forgo the opportunity to act in other social areas as well as the recognition that comes with such acts.