Issues of oral health in children revolve almost exclusively around dental caries. In the
United States, dental caries is the most common chronic childhood disease,1 and its treatment is
the most prevalent unmet health need in children.2 A substantial portion of caries lesions can be
prevented; indeed, the incidence of this disease has declined among school-age children and
adults in the past three decades. However, incidence among preschool children has not declined
at a similar rate over this same time period.