The community periodontal index of treatment needs (CPITN) procedure for population groups and individuals.

The FDI-WHO Joint Working Group 1 on periodontal diseases supports the use of the CPITN as an epidemiological screening procedure for periodontal treatment needs in populations and also, in a modified form for screening and monitoring of individuals by dental practitioners. The advantages of the CPITN procedure have become more evident following 7 years of development and field experience. This report reviews the CPITN procedure and describes in detail the use of the method for both purposes. Methods, clinical criteria and evaluation of the CPITN data are discussed. The CPITN is primarily a screening procedure which requires clinical assessment for the presence or absence of periodontal pockets, calculus and gingival bleeding. Use of a special CPITN periodontal probe (or its equivalent) is recommended. For epidemiological purposes in adult populations, 10 specified index teeth are examined; for persons under 20 years of age only six index teeth are specified. In dental practice all teeth are examined and the highest score for each sextant noted. Only 6 scores are recorded. Measures of gingival recession, tooth mobility, intensity of inflammation, precise identification of pocket depths or differentiation between supra- and subgingival calculus are not included in the CPITN. Individuals are assigned to one of four treatment need categories determined from their CPITN scores. Detailed explanations are given for the evaluation of epidemiological data. Four tabulations provide an insight into the overall pattern of prevalence, severity and categories of treatment need. For health services planning, the data provide a basis for estimating overall population needs in terms of treatment categories and the clinical personnel required for periodontal care. In the clinical care situation the procedure offers a simple screening method for determining the level of intervention required and also a tool for the longitudinal monitoring of disease changes. Used with commonsense and an understanding of periodontal disease, the CPITN procedure provides the epidemiologist and the practitioner with a practical means of assessing periodontal treatment needs.