[Does Jesus have metal-free teeth in a country of the toothless?: dentistry of vanities and desires].

This paper describes how dentistry in Brazil currently participates in the transformations of the object of its activity into commodities with which consumers can indulge their aesthetic desires. It explores the construction of the dental object of desires and its relationship with the dentist and the patient-consumer in the contemporary world. The paper makes explicit the role of the mega-dental congresses, which provide a biotechnological self-service that allure and seduce, creating uniform consumer values eager for the new offerings from dental surgeons. Also analyzes the role of the media in dental practices. It concludes that the individuation of the dental surgeon has generated a petrified ontology and fragmented epistemology. The paper presents some pressing tasks for the academic and professional sectors and society as a whole, such as the development of strategies and discussion about communication related to oral health.