Invisibility of oral health in prisons: a scoping review of dental care.

OBJECTIVES

To map scientific production of dental care in prisons, identifying trends, gaps, and organizational aspects of access.

MATERIAL AND METHOD: Scoping review in accordance with Johanna Briggs Institute (JBI) and PRISMA-ScR guidelines in MEDLINE, Web of Science (WoS), Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS), and Embase. Primary studies in three languages were included, without time restrictions.

RESULTS

From 28 studies (mostly from Brazil, France, and India), high rates of caries, periodontal disease, and tooth loss prevail under a reactive emergency model.

DISCUSSION: Prison care reflects structural inequities. Initiatives such as tele-dentistry and screening protocols are effective for improving a comprehensive approach. A transition toward a public health logic is necessary to guarantee the right to care within the prison system.