Dental caries risk assessment: A practical tool to improve oral health in the Philippines?

Abstract

The purpose of a dental caries risk assessment (CRA) is to assign appropriate preventive measures for high-risk individuals in order to reduce caries risk. For a dental professional, it can set the direction for treatment planning while aiding in patient motivation by pointing out modifiable risk factors and indicators influencing dental caries development. In the Philippines and other developing areas, decayed, missing, and filled teeth have been consistently high over many years. Given that the recognized CRA tools have been created in developed countries with registered low caries prevalence, validation of these tools outside their countries of origin will confirm their relevance in settings where disease conditions and health behaviors are different.