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Objective: To determine caries prevalence and its association with body mass index in school children between 9-12 years of age in Hail, Saudi Arabia. Material and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study included 524 school children 9-12 years of age. These children were selected from 9 Public schools in Hail Province. Dental caries was recorded as per criteria established by the World Health Organization using assessment form for children 2013. Children were weighed using an electronic scale nearest to 0.1 kg with children attired in light clothing and wearing no shoes. The height was measured using a stadiometer to the nearest full centimeter with the children in a standing position. Body Mass Index (BMI) was determined using the formula BMI = kg/m 2 . Results: Caries prevalence in the population was 86%. The comparisons of mean DMFT between the groups demonstrate higher scores in the overweight group (mean=2.43) compared to normal weight (mean=1.85) and underweight children (mean=1.56) which is statistically significant (p=0.000). Bonferroni Post hoc test to compare the underweight and overweight group (p=0.000) and overweight and normal weight (p=0.000) were highly significant. Conclusion: A positive correlation of caries severity, namely DMFT, with BMI is established.

One of the ten greatest public health achievements is childhood vaccination because of its impact controlling and eliminating vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs). Evidence-based immunization policies and practices are responsible for this success and are supported by epidemiology that has generated scientific evidence for informing policy and practice. The purpose of this report is to highlight the role of epidemiology in the development of immunization policy and successful intervention in public health practice that has resulted in a measurable public health impact: the control and elimination of VPDs in the United States. Examples in which epidemiology informed immunization policy were collected from a literature review and consultation with experts who have been working in this field for the past 30 years. Epidemiologic examples (e.g., thimerosal-containing vaccines and the alleged association between the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine and autism) are presented to describe challenges that epidemiologists have addressed. Finally, we describe ongoing challenges to the nation’s ability to sustain high vaccination coverage, particularly with concerns about vaccine safety and effectiveness, increasing use of religious and philosophical belief exemptions to vaccination, and vaccine hesitancy. Learning from past and current experiences may help epidemiologists anticipate and address current and future challenges to respond to emerging infectious diseases, such as COVID-19, with new vaccines and enhance public health impact of immunization programs for years to come.

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