Original article: Need For Unique Assessment Parameters And Interventional Modalities In Community Dentistry For School Going Children

Abstract: The present study was conducted in rural areas of Konkan region in which a total of 5256 school children from age group of 6 to 15 years were screened and 4750 children (90.37%) who were found to have dental caries were referred to the BKL Walawalkar hospital for dental treatment. A total of 3582 school children received treatment in the hospital. New parameters like caries teeth percentage and functional capacity percentage were assessed both at the time of screening and 1st follow-up. The prevalence of caries was found to be 90.37%, at the time of screening, the caries teeth percentage was 23.91% in group I (6years to 10years) and the caries teeth percentage was 13.33% in group II(11years to 15years). Caries teeth percentage is the number of caries teeth present in the mouth in relation to the total teeth. Functional capacity percentage was 38.24% in group I (6years to 10years) and in group II (11years to 15years) it was 58.93% at the time of screening. After treatment at the hospital by interventions like Glass ionomer cement (GIC), Permanent filling (P.F), extraction and X ray, the caries teeth percentage was brought down by 6.75% in group I (6years to 10years) and 3.13% in group II (11years to 15years) and functional capacity improved by 77.34% in group I (6years to 10years) and was improved by 82.18% in group II (11years to 15years). The data analysis was done using S.P.S.S software and appropriate statistical tests were applied for proving the statistical significance of results. Thus the study proposes that the above unique assessment tools/indicators and interventions should be used apart from the usually used prevalence of caries and DMFT indices.