The results of a dental health epidemiologic study in primary school-children (aged 6-12) attending both public (municipal and provincial) and private schools in the city of Cordoba are described. The incidence of deciduous teeth caries was from moderate to high among the 6-year-old school-children from municipal schools but it was low in the provincial and private schools (dmf-t = 4.44, 2.31 and 1.27 respectively). Among both provincial and municipal school-children the most significant component corresponded to teeth with caries and diagnosed extraction, whereas in private school-children it corresponded to filled teeth. The absence of active caries in children was 13.6% in municipal schools, 52.2% in provincial schools and 76.9% in private schools. In 12-year-old school-children, the prevalence of caries in permanent teeth was at the same low level in all schools with a DMF-T ranging from 1.85 (municipal) to 2.59 (private). In general, the need for dental treatment was considerable in all schools. It is concluded that the dental health levels achieved by municipal and provincial schools at the age of 12 must be attributed mainly to preventive measures; should children be assisted eralier, the results would be enhanced.
Dental caries; DMF Index; Dental health surveys
