Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and location of oral changes in patients of the Peripheral Clinics (Faculty of Dentistry) of the National Autonomous University of Mexico from January to September, 2005. Methods: We used the classification system proposed by Carpenter W in 1999 (MIND). Results: From the total of 8353 patients who presented to the clinics, we selected 1602 who presented with manifestations of oral changes. The patients' ages ranged from 1 to 95 years old (mean = 31.1 years), and 54 different types of changes were identified, yielding a total of 2602 (62% of the patients presented more than one). The development group was the largest (n = 1527), followed by the inflammatory group (n = 999); the neoplastic and metabolic groups were not represented. There were more females than males (n= 986 cases, 20% more than the males). Saburral (coated) tongue (n = 367), morsicatum bucarum (n=360), and ratial pigmentation were the three most common conditions; and the dorsal surface of the tongue (19.47%), yugal mucosa (18.16%), and lips (14.10%) were the most frequent sites of the conditions. Conclusions: We determined the prevalence of oral alterations found in the Peripheral Clinics of the National Autonomous University of Mexico from January to September, 2005, for both distribution and frequency. We showed that the schools provide an important setting for promoting health. This was not only seen in the increased numbers of biopsy accessions, but also was reflected in the diversity of services offered by oral pathologists. This kind of study helps to provide a detailed list of alterations, lesions, and diseases in patients at specific places and times. The oral prevalence studies are important for learning the state of health and the treatment needs of the population.

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