Development of an oral health survey: Columbus, Ohio.

This article describes the method used to develop and implement a local oral health survey (Columbus, Ohio) conducted in 1986. With the shift in the national dental disease pattern in the past decade, local oral health information is essential for program planning purposes. A collaborative effort by a city health department, a state health department, a dental school, and a school of public health demonstrated how this group worked harmoniously in a relatively inexpensive venture to determine the oral status of various age groups (grades 1-2, grades 6-7, age 35-44, and age 65+). This information provided part of the framework for a five-year dental plan at the Columbus Health Department. The survey design will serve as a basis for conducting a similar survey statewide. Modifications of existing oral health survey instruments are discussed.