This paper was developed in support of a resolution subsequently passed by the American Association of Public Health Dentistry (at the Annual Meeting held in San Francisco, California, October 30‐November 1, 1985) by the Ad Hoc Committee on Infectious Diseases, Stephen B. Corbin, DDS, MPH, Chairman; and Aljernon Bolden, DMD, MPH; Margaret Scarlett, DMD; Joel Boriskin, DDS; Reginald Louie, DDS, MPH; Jan Goldsmith, DDS, MPH; Robert Finton, MSPH; Willard Cates, MD, MPH; John Ward, MD; Mark Kane, MD, MPH; and Michael Roberts, DDS, MScD, member