Conhecimento e adoção de estratégias ecológicas na graduação em Odontologia

The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge and adoption of sustainable Dentistry strategies by students of a private higher education institution in Belo Horizonte. The sample consisted of students enrolled in the 4 th to 9 th period in 2018 (n = 287). Data were collected through a self-administered Portuguese language questionnaire, tabulated and analyzed through descriptive analysis. About one third of the participants (93, 32.39%) adopt the ecological strategies that can be implemented in daily dental practices. Approximately half of the students (152, 53.0%) reported that they sometimes think about environmental and sustainability issues and 252 (87.8%) answered that they had never heard of Green Dentistry. However, 268 (93.4%) showed interest in getting to know it and 230 students (80.1%) considered it important to implement environmental education programs in the curriculum of Dentistry courses. Most students are unaware of Green Dentistry and do not adopt conducts that reflect concern about environmental issues. Only a portion of respondents use ecological strategies in their clinical routine, but not necessarily in their daily habits. The insertion of environmental education in universities is urgent and was supported by the students of this study.