The program reported a reduction in caries incidence in children of mothers who received prenatal dental services. What was the magnitude of this reduction?

• A. 10%
• B. Over 50%
• C. 25%
• D. 75%

Answer: (B)

A strong link exists between a mother's dental health care during pregnancy and her child’s risk of developing caries. When mothers receive prenatal dental services, the program observed a substantial drop in caries incidence among their children—more than half. This large effect makes sense because prenatal care can lower the maternal bacterial load that is transmitted to the child, improve fluoride exposure, and support healthier feeding and sugar practices early on. So the reduction being more than 50% fits the reported outcome, while smaller drops (like 10% or 25%) would understate the impact, and an extremely large 75% would exceed what was observed.