Caries Management by Risk Assessment in Children

Caries Management by Risk Assessment in Children

The goal of this study is to address the effectiveness of a modified cavity prevention protocol for 5-9 year-old children which emphasizes better diet modification, more frequent professional fluoride applications, and xylitol product usage based on individual risk status in a 1-year randomized controlled clinical trial in the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Tenderloin Community Pediatric Dental Clinic. The investigators hypothesize that the regimen will help to reduce new cavities in children who are at risk for dental cavities.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Patients of record at the UCSF Pediatric Dental Clinic, or the UCSF Tenderloin Community Pediatric Dental Clinic, and must be:
2. Patients of record at the Tenderloin community and UCSF pediatric dental clinics
3. 5-9 years old

3. Be able to give informed assent, consent and answer questionnaires in English, Spanish or Chinese by parents or guardian 4. Be unlikely to move from the area during the study period 5. Be willing to participate regardless of group assignment and comply with all study procedures

Exclusion Criteria:

Persons with:

1. Prolonged antibiotic use in the past three months.
2. Dental needs outside of the community pediatric clinics, such as care provided in specialty clinics