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Objective: To evaluate caries-preventive treatment practices in relation to caries state and eruption of first permanent molars(FPMs) among 6-year-olds (n=3489) examined and treated in public dental clinics in Helsinki during 1992 Methods: The study subjects were selected on the basis of their caries state using a two-point study design the high-caries group (n=99) had the greatest number of DT+dt, the cavity-free group (n=32) had neither past nor present caries Evaluation of dentists' caries-preventive treatment decisions was based on data from detailed personal oral health records. Results: In total, 22% of the high-caries patients (mean DT+dt 8 7; range 4-18) had been judged by their dentists as high-risk patients. Eruption of FPMs had no influence on dentists' judgement on caries risk. A subject's number of DT+dt had no influence on the intensity of preventive treatment given, but those with a high-risk judgement from a dentist received mote preventive measures per visit than did other high-caries patients For high-caries patients with erupting FPMs, three visits in 10 included preventive intervention other than sealants, compared to nine in the cavity-free group. Intensity of oral hygiene instruction. correlated with presence of erupting FPMs, yet 86% of the patients with erupting FPMs had received no oral hygiene instruction. Conclusions: Dentists should be encouraged to use standardized criteria, including data on caries state and eruption stage, in judging each patient's risk of caries to provide intensified caries-preventive treatment to those most in need. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]