Labour Dentistry: a new specialty in Dentistry

Actions to promote, protect and recover the workers' health have been ensured by Law 8080/90. The aim of this study was to present Labour Dentistry as a new specialty and to reveal the context in which it should be applied. The Brazilian Federal Dentistry Council Resolution 25/2002 in 3rd article establishes the performance field for Labour Dentistry specialists are: a) Identification, evaluation and surveillance of the environmental factors that constitute risk to oral health at the work place, in any of the production phases; b) Technical advises and attention regarding health, safety, ergonomics and hygiene at work, as well as the protection towards individual equipments; and the professional must be inserted in the workers' multidisciplinary health team; c) Planning and implantation of permanent campaigns and programs for workers' education in relation to work accidents, occupational diseases and health information; d) Organization of disease and mortality statistics related to oral origins and investigation of their possible relationships with professional activities; e) Accomplishment of dental examinations for labour welfare. The conclusion is important to support the development research necessary to ratify the need for this new specialty.