Pediatric patient population growing.

• Position: Dentistry - Brief article

By 2020, it is expected that the number of people younger than 18 years old in the U.S. will exceed 80,000,000. However, 17.5% of children aged five to 19 have problems with dental cavities, and approximately 28% of all preschoolers have untreated cavities, cautions Boyd Industries, Clearwater, Fla., which designs and manufactures specialty dental and medical operatory equipment.

By the time children graduate from high school, up to 80% have untreated dental cavities. Left untreated, tooth decay and cavities can lead to infection of the teeth and gums, tooth loss, poor eating habits, lack of sleep, and deceases in functional ability in school and at home.

Children with poor oral...