AbstractA Markov model is suggested as a means of evaluating dental care programs. Four mutually exclusive states of dental care are defined as Markovian states. These are episodic, initial, maintenance and nonuse. Records for all patients entering a university teaching clinic (n= 578) over a 12‐month period were examined and classified in one of the states of care at entry into the clinic and at 1‐year intervals from the date of entry for 3 years. An analysis of the findings indicated that the Markov model did fit reasonably well and provided a good approximation of the empirical d