Abstract
The objectives of the DMHDS dental study were: to determine the dental health of the children; to obtain information on specific dental behaviours, the utilisation of the School Dental Service, and on parental attitudes towards dental matters; to study the bedtime eating habits of the children; to examine the relationship between dental health and developmental, behavioural, cultural, and social factors. This paper describes the first objective - dental health of the children, including dental caries, oral hygiene, and developmental anomalies; reports on the other objectives are to be presented subsequently.