Objectives: To evaluate if there has been a change in patients' need of dental treatment over a 10-year period. There seems to be an increase among the younger patient group in dental caries and need of treatment, but no studies have proven that. Methods: 604 panoramic radiographs from 1992, 1997 and 2002 were evaluated from patients' records. Three observers evaluated the panoramic radiographs in consensus with regard of number of teeth, numbers to treat,numbers of decay and number of extra radiographs needed (bitewings and/or periapical) to make a confident diagnosis. Treatment need for third molars was not included in this study. Chi-square tests and t-tests were used. Results: When looking at patients with 20 or more teeth, men were on the whole in higher need of treatment than women but that was only significant (p=0.031) in the age group 46-50 years. No significant difference was found in the mean treatment need between incoming patients in 1992 and 1997 or 1997 and 2002 but between 1992 and 2002 the mean treatment need of the youngest age group (20 years and younger) had risen from 0.60 teeth to 4.88 teeth and that was significant (p=0.026). Conclusion: There seems to be an increase in numbers of teeth in need of dental treatment in the youngest patient group seeking dental service at the faculty of Odontology, University of Iceland.

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