Entrevista Motivacional no ensino de graduação em Odontologia

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a counseling method that seeks to intervene in an individual's lifestyle in order to promote behavioral change that is beneficial to their health. Although widespread in some countries, MI training is not incorporated into the curriculum of Brazilian universities. The objective of this study is to report on the development of a pilot project for MI training at the Federal University of Pelotas (UFPel), and the performance of dental students who participated in this project. The theoretical phase was conducted through a Virtual Learning Environment (Moodle UFPel) and the practical phase was developed with families of children enrolled at a Primary Health Care Center in Pelotas, RS, which offers internship for dental students. Student performance was assessed weekly using the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity instrument (MITI 3.1.1.). Students also completed a self-assessment questionnaire. Overall, the project was effective in improving students' performance in applying MI over the study period, with variations in some specific skills. MI is an innovative educational approach that demonstrates beneficial results for dental students.