Use of a caries-disclosing agent to improve dental residents' ability to detect caries.

Clinicians often have difficulty determining which dentin should be removed during cavity preparation. Caries-disclosing agents have proven to be useful in the identification of carious dentin that requires removal. Recent dental school graduates are able to improve caries identification and removal when a caries-disclosing dye is used to check their attempts at complete caries removal.