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Factors associated with the waiting time for access to specialized oral healthcare services in Brazil.

OBJECTIVES
To explore the factors associated with the waiting time for access to specialized care at Dental Specialties Centers (CEO, in Portuguese), by specialty (Stomatology, Surgery, Endodontics, Patients with Special Needs and Periodontology).


METHODS
The study was a descriptive and analytic exploratory secondary analysis of data from the 2nd phase of the National Program for Improving the Access to and Quality of CEO (PMAQ-CEO, in Portuguese). All 1097 CEO in Brazil were evaluated in loco in 2018. Binary logistic regression was used to analyse the likelihood of users having a shorter time for assistance at CEO, by specialty.


RESULTS
The highest and lowest median waiting times were found for endodontics (30 days) and stomatology (5 days), respectively. Smaller centres (type I CEO) had a shorter waiting list for patients with special needs (95%CI: 1.20-3.37), Endodontics (95%CI: 1.03-3.02) and Surgery (95%CI: 1.04-3.05). As for the specialties with the longest waiting list (Endodontics and Surgery), the direct route of user access to CEO was more effective than that regulated by the Healthcare System.


CONCLUSIONS
Factors related to the service, management, and to the form of relationship with primary health care influenced the waiting time for specialized care in CEO. The contact between professionals in the oral health network (primary care and secondary) was associated with a shorter waiting time, regardless of the specialty.