The survey was conducted on 431 children enrolled by multistage cluster sampling. A dental caries experience index (decayed, missing, and filled permanent teeth; DMFT) was recorded at schools by a team of examiners trained at the start of the study. Statistical analyses by Chi-square, Fisher's exact, and Wilcoxon tests were performed using SAS version 9.1 software for PCs. We applied the Zero-Inflated Negative Binomial regression model in the STATA package.
Caries prevalence was recorded in 38.3%of the sample. Estimated means and 95%confidence intervals of the DMFT index by gender were: 1.15 (0.91-1.39) for males, 1.26 (1.02-1.5) for females, and 1.21 (1.03-1.39) for the total sample. The D component of the index was dominant. The mean number of caries found in southeast Italy was significantly higher than the national mean (t = 3.125, P = 0.002), but significantly lower than the mean for south Italy (t = 鈭?.125, P = 0.03). Results of the regression model showed that only the mother and father's nationality and educational level contributed to the DMFT.
The oral health situation of 12-year-old children from southeast Italy seems to be in line with that in other Western European countries.