National survey of the oral health of 5-year-old children in the United Arab Emirates

Abstract

A total of 1340 5-year-old children were examined as part of the first national survey of the oral health of children in the United Arab Emirates. The objective was to determine dental caries status and compare variations in caries experience in all 9 medical districts. Sampling and examination for caries was done following World Health Organization guidelines and criteria. Only 17% of the children were caries-free. The mean decayed/missing/filled teeth (dmft) index was 5.1, ranging from 3.8 in Ajman to 6.6 in Dubai. More than half (52%) had > 4 dmf teeth. Overall, caries is highly prevalent in the primary dentition of 5-year-old children and mostly untreated.