Methods: We created a three-part pediatric oral health literacy inventory to assess: reading recognition, vocabulary knowledge, and comprehension of oral health information in a cross sectional study. The inventory consists of 35 words and terms commonly used in pediatric dentistry. The items pertain to preventive dental care, oral hygiene, diet, caries process, and restorative dentistry. The inventory was administered to 45 English-speaking parents of children enrolled in Head Start or Early Head Start programs in western Washington