The exciting and heartbreaking truth about children's oral disease is that it is preventable. Dental caries remain the single most common chronic childhood disease, even though nearly all of oral disease is preventable. Research supports prevention as effective, less expensive and requiring low technology, however the bulk of attention remains on restorative treatment. Primary prevention of oral disease requires health education, disease prevention, and health protection - not necessarily a trip to the dentist. More plainly stated prevention includes, but is not limited to, water fluoridation, oral hygiene, and nutritional/dietary choices.