Although community water fluoridation is considered the foundation for sound dental caries prevention programs, there are populations of children that experience higher rates of dental caries (tooth decay) and could benefit from additional fluoride exposure. Although the use of fluoride in dental caries prevention is considered safe and effective, there are questions among health professionals and programs working with young children at high risk of developing dental caries, as to the recommended use of topical fluoride. In an effort to address these questions the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) convened an expert panel on October 22–23, 2007 to develop a decision support matrix on topical fluoride use for high-risk children. This matrix was developed primarily for a non-dental audience—programs, paraprofessionals, and professionals without formal dental education working with higher-risk children in public health settings (e.g., childcare centers, Head Start programs, WIC programs, primary care clinics) but could also be useful to parents and caregivers. Full text » [PDF, 209KB]