WHO GLOBAL ORAL DATA-BANK, 1986-96 - AN OVERVIEW OF ORAL HEALTH SURVEYS AT 12 YEARS OF AGE

The global oral health situation of 12-year-old children - decayed, mi ssing, filled teeth (DMFT) index and the percentage of population affe cted - is described in this article using the latest representative st udies for 80 countries included in the WHO Global Oral Data Bank (GODB ) between 1986 and 1996. The quantity of information Varied considerab ly: 68% of developed market economies had at least one national data s et, compared with 38% of developing countries and 36% of economies in transition. By WHO region, the proportions were as follows: Eastern Me diterranean, 55%; European, 50%; Western Pacific, 48%; African, 39%; S outh-East Asia, 30%; and the Americas, 26%. Globally, the weighted DMF T index for all data in the GODB is <3.0%, the WHO/Federation Dentaire Internationale goal for the year 2000. For the data reviewed in this article, achievement and nonachievement of this goal are discussed, as is the variation in DMFT means and proportions of children affected f or various country groupings. There are difficulties in obtaining rece nt data for many countries, but the article emphasizes the need to mai ntain and develop the GODB to facilitate the compilation of valid, rel iable and comparable data on oral health.