abstract–The present paper describes a standardized system for diagnosing, recording and analyzing dental caries data, based on diagnostic criteria previously described. Each surface is examined, and the diagnosis is coded on punch cards and processed by computer. Different diagnostic levels can be used in diagnosis or analysis depending on the purpose of the study. Data can be analyzed using one or more programs contained in a program library. The advantage of this system in comparison with others seems to be the high degree of flexibility, making it possible to employ the system in many different types of studies (longitudinal clinical trials as well as cross‐sectional epidemiologic surve