The purpose of this investigation was to explore the
effect of maternal attitude toward dentistry on the dental
status of the mothers and of their children. The study
population was 65 mothers and 173 children from six
kindergarten classes in a middle class community in
Israel. The data recorded included caries prevalence
(DMFT/S -- deft/s), oral hygiene (OHI), and gingival
health (GI). Each mother answered a questionnaire that
included components dealing with attitude regarding
herself and her attitude regarding her child. The findings
indicated that the more positive a mother’s attitude
regarding herself, the lower her caries rate. The more
positive a mother’s attitude regarding her child, the less
caries the child had, the better the child’s oral hygiene,
and the more dental treatment the child received