OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of dental caries in Omani 6-year-old children. DESIGN: Clinical caries cross-sectional survey, conducted by 16 trained and calibrated dentists. SETTING: Omani primary schools in December 1994. SUBJECTS: 3,114 subjects, randomly selected to achieve an overall 6.6 per cent sample of Omani 6-year-old children. OUTCOME MEASURES: Caries diagnosis based solely on clinical examination in accordance with criteria of British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry. RESULTS: Only 484 subjects (15.5 per cent) were caries-free; regional variations ranging from 4.4 per cent to 31 per cent. Overall, the national dmft averaged 4.61; the majority of caries experienced being in the form of untreated decay, with occlusal surfaces of first primary molars being the most commonly involved site. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with results from a survey of Omani 12-year-old children in 1993, a much smaller proportion of this 6-year-old sample were caries free, emphasising the need for continuance of existing, and the development of further, preventive programmes.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of dental caries in Omani 6-year-old children. DESIGN: Clinical caries cross-sectional survey, conducted by 16 trained and calibrated dentists. SETTING: Omani primary schools in December 1994. SUBJECTS: 3,114 subjects, randomly selected to achieve an overall 6.6 per cent sample of Omani 6-year-old children. OUTCOME MEASURES: Caries diagnosis based solely on clinical examination in accordance with criteria of British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry. RESULTS: Only 484 subjects (15.5 per cent) were caries-free; regional variations ranging from 4.4 per cent to 31 per cent. Overall, the national dmft averaged 4.61; the majority of caries experienced being in the form of untreated decay, with occlusal surfaces of first primary molars being the most commonly involved site. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with results from a survey of Omani 12-year-old children in 1993, a much smaller proportion of this 6-year-old sample were caries free, emphasising the need for continuance of existing, and the development of further, preventive programmes.