Sociodemographic distribution of pediatric dental caries: NHANES III, 1988-1994.

This article examines the extent to which caries prevalence and untreated caries vary in children by ethnicity and household income level. Data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988-1994, for 10,332 children 2 to 18 years of age indicate that lower-income children and Mexican-American and African-American children are more likely to have a higher prevalence of caries and more unmet treatment needs than their higher-income and non-Hispanic white counterparts.