Preventive dentistry--a priority in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka, being a developing country, cannot resort to high technology and sophisticated dentistry to achieve coverage for its whole population. The most cost effective means of controlling and preventing oral diseases has to be used and the primary health care approach with its basic philosophy of self-reliance and community participation will contribute substantially to the improvement of oral health of Sri Lankans. This paper outlines the decisions made in relation to preventive dentistry and the epidemiological data on which the goals were based.