The dental health of 392 Estonian schoolchildren aged 14-17 years (197 in Tartu and 195 in Tallinn) was studied. In Tartu only 1 child had lost teeth because of caries, as against 30 in Tallinn. Clinically caries-free dentitions were found in 15% of the children in Tartu and in 3% in Tallinn. The mean DMFT value was 3.7 in Tartu and 7.0 in Tallinn, being higher among girls in both cities. The mean DT value was 1.0 in Tartu and 2.6 in Tallinn. All subjects examined had a gingival bleeding index (GBI) higher than zero. The mean GBI was 20% in Tartu and 18% in Tallinn.