Experience and Prevalence of Dental Caries Among 15-year Old Adolescentsin the Eastern Region of the Republic of Macedonia

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the experience and prevalence of dental caries among secondary school adolescents (first grades) in Eastern Region of the Republic of Macedonia. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, adolescents from8 Secondary Schools (first grades, N= 414) were selected. Participants dental status was evaluated using the 2013 World Health Organization caries diagnostic criteria for Decayed, Missing or Filled Teeth (DMFT) by 2 calibrated examiners. Results: The total number of adolescents the sample was 414, comprising 188 (45.4%) females and 226 (54.6%) males. The mean DMFT was 5.77, with standard deviation (SD) of 4.02 and 95% confidence interval (CI) of 5.38- 6.16. Significant caries (SiC) index was 10.22.The prevalence of caries-free adolescentswas9.4%. The percentage of untreated caries or the ration of D/ DMFT was 0.49 (49.05%). The prevalence of dental caries in secondary school adolescents was 90.6%. Conclusions: Dental caries experience was seen to be high among 15- year old secondary school adolescents(first grades) in Eastern Region of the Republic of Macedonia.