[The policy and role of government in community dental health care in the twenty-first century].

: The level of dental treatment in Japan is highly rated in the world. However, Japanese prevalence of dental caries in children is relatively high for industrialized countries. The purpose of this paper is to suggest some strategies for community-based dental health promotion in Japan for the twenty-first century, based on a review of the results of an evaluation in Niigata prefecture. The suggestions are as follows; 1. Legislation shoulde be adopted for community-based dental health promotion. 2. Adoption of fluoride usage as an effective preventive method for dental caries should be given priority. 3. Primary dental health services should be provided by municipalities to its inhabitants, and the role for such services by the health center and prefectural government should be clearly defined. 4. Adequate staffing-dental personnel, dentists and dental hygienists-should be secured by municipal governments. 5. A system for evaluation of efficacy of preventive services should be established.