National oral health survey Zimbabwe 1995: dental caries situation.

Ten years after completion of the first national oral health survey, the second such survey was carried out in 1995. Application of a multi-stage sampling procedure resulted in 3,709 persons being examined according to the WHO oral health assessment form and criteria. The background variables studied were age, gender, type of location, socio-economic status. Comparison with results from major studies in other African nations are presented. It was concluded that the prevalence of dental caries in all age groups was high but that the severity was low. The prevalence of unmet treatment needs was very high with extraction as the predominant mode of treatment. The survey has shown that the vast majority of Zimbabweans are not receiving and/or are not seeking oral care.