What is the average DMFS in school-age children (age 5-17)?

• A. 1.2
• B. 3.07
• C. 2.0
• D. 4.0

Answer: (B)

DMFS represents the total cumulative caries experience on tooth surfaces by counting each surface that is decayed, missing due to caries, or filled. In school-age populations (5–17 years), this index captures not just current decay but past disease and its treatment, providing a snapshot of lifetime caries burden up to that age. The average around 3.07 reflects typical cumulative experience across diverse groups, making it the best choice among the options. Values much lower, like 1.2, would indicate unusually low caries experience, while higher values such as 4.0 suggest a heavier burden than is common for the general school-age population. The figure 3.07 is a precise representative mean from surveillance data, hence it aligns with expected averages for this age range.