Comparing dental caries status using Modified International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) and World Health Organization (WHO) indices among school children of Bhakkar, Pakistan

OBJECTIVE: To assess and compare the dental caries status among children using two methods..

METHODS: The cross-sectional study was conducted in October-November 2017 at five government and two private schools in Bhakkar, Punjab, Pakistan. It comprised children aged 11-12 years. World Health Organisation standards and the modified International Caries Detection and Assessment Systems methods were used were used to determine the dental caries status of each subject. Results of the two methods were compared at all cut- offs where appropriate, using SPSS 17.

RESULTS: Of the 183 subjects, 101(55.2%) were boys. Those aged 12 years were 112(61.2%) while 71(38.8%) were aged 11 years. There was no statistically significant difference in values of the Decayed Missing and Filled Surface / Decayed Missing and Filled Teeth index as well as the prevalence of dental caries between two methods (p>0.05 each). Intra-examiner reproducibility was higher with the World Health Organisation method compared to the other index used (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Modified International Caries Detection and Assessment Systems method can be used in epidemiological surveys as it was found to provide results similar to the World Health Organisation criteria at cut-off point 2.