Association between some educational indicators and dental caries experience of 12-year-old children in developing countries: an ecological approach.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the association between some educational indicators and dental caries experience of 12-year-old children in developing countries.


METHODS
The ecological association between DMFT levels amongst 12 year olds (DMFT-12 index) with six educational indicators (adult literacy rate, mean years of schooling, pupil-teacher ratio for primary level, educational expenditure as a percentage of gross national product, primary enrollment ratio and percent completing primary level) has been studied using developing countries as the unit of analysis. Pearson's correlation analysis and stepwise linear multiple regression technique were used to identify the significantly associated educational indicators with the DMFT-12 index.


RESULTS
A negative association between DMFT-12 index and percent completing primary education level has been observed (r = -0.509; p < 0.01). Also, stepwise regression analysis results have shown that only percent completing primary level education is significantly associated with DMFT-12 index scores (partial regression coefficient = -0.042; 95% confidence intervals: -0.064, -0.021).


CONCLUSIONS
Dental caries experience of 12-year-old children appears to be highest in countries with low percent of primary level completion. Percent completing primary level education may be considered a good predictor of DMFT-12 index in developing countries.
Inonu University, School of Medicine, Department of Public Health, Malatya, Turkey. megri@inonu.edu.tr
Mucahit
M
Egri
Osman
O
Gunay
D002648:Child; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004245:DMF Index; D003906:Developing Countries; D004463:Ecology; D004467:Economics; D004493:Education / Q000191:economics; D004522:Educational Status; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D013334:Students; D013663:Teaching