The relative contribution of dental services to the changes and geographical variations in caries status of 5- and 12-year-old children in England and Wales in the 1980s.

The aim of this study was to assess the relative contribution of dental services to the changes and geographical variations in caries status of 5- and 12-year-old children in England and Wales in the 1980s. A secondary aim was to assess the association between caries experience and social factors. An ecological study analysing data at a district health authority level in England and Wales was conducted. Twenty-eight, 43 and 34 per cent of the variations in 5-year-old dmft in 1985, 1987 and 1989 respectively were explained by dental service activity indicators and 53, 62 and 57 per cent by social factors. Twenty-nine per cent of the variation in 12-year-old DMFT in 1988 was explained by dental service activity indicators and 46 per cent by social factors.