The extent to which adolescents' self-appraisals of dental status agree with the dentist's evaluation is analyzed. The dentist's evaluation was expressed in standard dental status indicators (DMF, OHI-S, Russell Index) and in a rating of overall status as "excellent," "good," "fair," "poor." The relationship between the adolescents' self-reported dental care practices and the dentist's evaluation is also examined.

Nearly 1,300 adult members of a prepaid medical group plan in New York City were screened through automated multiphasic health testing in a series of test stations including a dental station, during 1971-1973. Oral status indicators were developed including a number of missing teeth, scores to measure levels of gingival and periodontal disease, Simplified Oral Hygiene Index scores, and ratios of decayed teeth. Ratios of filled teeth were calculated to measure levels of restorative care. The present paper examines the interrelationships of economic status, education and ethnic origin with each of the above oral status measures. It was found that variations in ratios of decayed and of filled teeth were primarily due to economic status while variations in a number of missing teeth, oral hygiene levels and levels of gingival and periodontal diseases were primarily due to screenees' educational level. Ethnic group differences could be explained in part by differences among these groups in economic and and educational levels. There were no consistent ethnic patterns, however, and while some differences could be explained by controlling for education and economic status, others persisted.

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Poverty and nonpoverty adults have been screened in a program of Multiphasic Health Testing in which dental examinations were provided and in which information on dental care behavior was obtained through a health inventory using a video-terminal for recording replies. Findings of the dental examination indicate that, whatever measure of oral health was used, oral health of the poverty group was poorer than that of the nonpoverty group. The poverty group, for example, had more dental problems, and the problems they had were more severe. They also had lower levels of oral hygiene and less restorative treatment. The poverty group also was more likely to be edentulous, and to have higher levels of untreated decay and periodontal diseases. They had more missing teeth, and fewer restored teeth. Nearly all poverty-nonpoverty differences persisted when the data were controlled for age and sex. Information from the health inventory indicates that the poverty group is less likely than those in the nonpoverty group to seek dental care in general, and also specifically for rreventive dental services. Even among the nonpoverty group, however, one third stated that they never sought dental care for "cleanings or checkups." Daily toothbrushing, on the other hand, was generally reported by both poverty-status groups. Consistent relations were found between oral health practices and oral health in both poverty and nonpoverty groups...