Dental caries (tooth decay) has been estimated to be the most prevalent health problem in Australia (AIHW 2000). Oral diseases can lead to infection and tooth loss, and may be associated with pain and discomfort, eating difficulties and problems with speech, communication and socialising (AIHW 2002). This report describes the caries experience of public dental patients by age, sex and type of visit based on a total of 2,746 dental patients who were examined by the dental authorities in four States/Territories of Australia, providing a representative sample of the public dental patients they treated during the 2001-02 period.