title: Prevalence and severity of dental caries in Libyan schoolchildren.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess prevalence and severity of dental caries, examine gender differences and assess the relationship of dental caries to socioeconomic status in a group of Libyan schoolchildren.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross sectional observational study with cluster sampling within schools.
  
  
  METHODS
  A random sample of 791, 12-year-olds in 36 elementary public schools in Benghazi.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dental caries was assessed using the DMFT and DMFS indices and WHO (1997) criteria. Information about socioeconomic status was collected through a dental health questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of dental caries was 57.8%. The mean DMFT and DMFS indices were 1.68 (SD ± 1.86) and 2.39 (SD ± 3.05) for all subjects and 2.90 (SD ± 1.56) and 4.14 (SD ± 2.97) for subjects with caries experience. Dental caries was more prevalent amongst girls (P = 0.002). There was a statistically significantly negative association between dental caries and the level of father's education (P = 0.015).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While dental caries prevalence in 12 year-old Libyan children was high, the mean DMFT was low compared with other developing countries, but higher than the WHO goal for year 2020. The high level of untreated caries is a cause for concern, representing a high unmet treatment need.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Oral Health Research Institute for Health and Society Institute for Ageing and Health Human Nutrition Research Centre, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK.
authors.forename: Rasmia
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Huew
authors.forename: Paula J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Waterhouse
authors.forename: Paula J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Moynihan
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maguire
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D003906:Developing Countries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004522:Educational Status; D005220:Fathers; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008002:Libya / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D012923:Social Class; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires