Introduction:

Timely and comprehensive dental care is important for HIV/AIDS patients as it facilitates prevention and treatment of the multiple oral lesions that accompany this pathology, and consequently, improves their quality of life.

Objective:

To determine the perception and experience of the dental care service provided by a Health Provider Institution (HPI) to HIV/AIDS patients from the city of Santa Marta (Colombia).

Materials and methods:

A descriptive quantitative study was carried out with 64 HIV/AIDS patients treated in the HPI, to whom a data collection instrument was applied.

Results:

65.6% of the HIV/AIDS patients did not perceive any rejection from the dentist, whereas 25% and 9.4% of these patients reported being discriminated at least once and always, respectively.

Conclusions:

There is a need to approach this disease not only from a clinical standpoint but also from a social perspective in order to educate both health professionals and communities about: scientific advances; how to study this pathology; and the risks of contracting HIV/AIDS. It is also necessary to demystify some misconceptions and eradicate discrimination against these patients.

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