This page features resources on children’s oral health and general health status. Here, we have information on topics ranging from dental caries and periodontal disease to access to preventive dental services, including socio-demographic indicators for oral health disparities such as economic status, geographic location, and race and ethnicity.
Oral Health
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This data brief from the National Center from Health Statistics looks at dental care trends among American children in 2019 and 2020. Access the brief here.
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This article from Health Behavior and Policy Review explores the impact of acute and unplanned dental care on children’s school attendance. Access the article here.
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This executive summary from NIDCR and the Surgeon General provides information about the state of oral health with sections 2A and 2B providing updates on trends in child and adolescent oral health. Access the executive summary here.
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This presentation provides information about key national indicators of child health and well-being. We identify data sources that provide comprehensive information on economic status, demographics, safety, and health of American children, and present information relating to access and utilization of dental services.
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This American Academy of Pediatrics Policy Statement on ECCs in Indigenous Communities advocates in favor of early oral health interventions and further community-based research in order to address the oral health disparities between Indigenous children and their peers.
View the statement here.
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This article published in the Journal of the American Dental Association draws on survey data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2011-2014) to investigate the relationship between food insecurity, diet quality, and untreated caries. The authors report association between food insecurity and untreated caries, but no statistically significant association between diet quality and untreated caries. This finding marks a departure from earlier studies on diet quality and untreated caries.
View the article here.
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This study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association draws on youth survey data in Minnesota, finding that children with a history of foster care report “more oral health problems and less access to oral health care than their peers with no history of foster care.”
View the results of the study here.
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This infographic created by the American Dental Association provides information about child, adult, and senior dental visits by race and ethnicity comparing visits between 2005-2006 and 2017-2018.
View the infographic here.
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This volume of the Preventing Chronic Disease Journal concerns oral health behaviors and availability of dental services among children and adults. It includes articles on the impact of preventive care on severe pediatric dental caries, on racial and ethnic disparities in pediatric dental care, and on accessibility to dental care in rural areas.
View the current volume here.
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The abstract of this article examines data from the 2016-2018 National Survey of Children’s Health in order to compare preventive oral health services among children with special health care needs and those without. The authors report that children with special health care needs “have higher rates of preventative oral health service yet worse oral health status.”
View the abstract here.
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This Mott Poll Report from the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital at the University of Michigan reports on survey data from a national sample of parents regarding preventive dental care for their children during the pandemic. Of particular note, it finds that those with Medicaid coverage “had more problems getting a preventative dental appointment.”
View the poll report here.
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The “State of Little Teeth Report” draws on the latest scientific research and best available expertise to examine the public health crisis of tooth decay among U.S. children. In addition to examining the problems and causes of dental diseases, this report also explores an array of viable remedies by pediatric dentists, parents, and our nation’s leaders.
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Untreated caries rates are declining for children, especially low-income populations. This infographic from the ADA Health Policy Institute reports the prevalence of untreated caries by age group, including children ages 5 to 18.
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The AAPD provided commentary on the report “Dental Caries and Sealant Prevalence in Children and Adolescents in the United States, 2011-2012” by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Center for Health Statistics. Dr. Paul S. Casamassimo stated, "Of particular interest is the 5 percent decrease in which 23 percent of children ages 2 to 5 years had caries in primary teeth. This suggests that more very young children are receiving care, most likely due to the increased number of pediatric dentists, as well as improvements in Medicaid dental programs in some states."
Click here to read the news release.
Click here to read the NCHS Report -
The prevalence of dental caries has been declining in the United States, mostly due to better prevention, improvements in treatment techniques, and patient attitudes regarding tooth preservation. However, the magnitude of the decline has varied across different population groups during the past two decades. This report describes the prevalence of untreated dental caries, existing dental restorations, dental sealants, and tooth loss in the United States by poverty level, age, race, and ethnicity in 2005–2008.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provide information on the importance of preventing caries in childhood and current prevalence of childhood caries. They also suggest simple prevention strategies for caregivers and children.
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The NIDCR conducts research on a variety of topics in dental, oral, and craniofacial health for all age groups. On this page, you can view information on various dental and craniofacial topics as well as statistics pertaining to different age groups, including children and adolescents.
General Health
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This report is the result of collaboration between 23 federal agencies that collect and utilize data about children. The information here shows indicators of children’s well-being and any changes observed in those indicators.
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KIDS COUNT is a project of the Annie E. Casey Foundation that tracks data on children’s well-being in the US; the statistics they report reflect a variety of medical & dental health topics, as well as demographic and geographic variables. New data is collected and published annually.
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The NSCH provides data on children’s physical and mental health, as well as their access to quality healthcare and familial and social contexts. This page allows you to filter the data by year(s), individual states vs. national statistics, and specific wellness indicator(s).