[Inequalities in oral health in Italy: what role for dentists?]

Due to the lack of both available data and political attention, the oral health of the popula-tion seems to be neglected at a scientific level. Actually, however, the dental sector shows strong ine-qualities in access, especially because of the economic crisis that hit most European countries, particu-larly Italy. In order to understand the impact of the organizational variables related to the supply of dental services on the inequalities, an empirical research was carried out in 2013, involving representatives of the dental profession within the 105 Italian provincial orders of physicians and dentists. Both qualitative and quantitative methodological tools have been used. The main results seem to give us back the image of a profession that is going through a very difficult period; problems, which occur on multiple levels, cannot be attributed solely to the economic crisis that started in 2008. Problems appear structural and require a process of change that has to involve, on the one hand, citizens and government institutions and, on the other, the latter and the dental profession.