Contemporary dentistry in the perception of dental surgeons: a qualitative analysis

Dentistry is a profession that has undergone significant changes over the last few decades. These transformations encompass society's perceptions and views regarding the profession, the training of professionals and the profile of the human resources involved, in addition to the trends and demands of the job market. Such changes also reflect the dynamics and adaptation of Dentistry to meet the needs of society in constant change. The present study sought to analyze current Dentistry in the perception of public and private dentists. A qualitative study was carried out using the focus group technique. The sample consisted of 10 participants, divided into 2 groups (one from the public sector and one from the private sector). The textual bodies were analyzed based on Bardin's method (2015), pre-analysis, exploration of the material and treatment of results, inferences and interpretation. Subsequently, the Voyant Tools® software was used to analyze and quantify the most cited terms among the participants' statements. The general perception was that contemporary dentistry faces challenges such as market saturation, lack of unity in the class and professional devaluation, among others.