TABLE 2.

Sensitivity, specificity and predictive values of individual Caries-risk Assessment Tool (CAT) elements and caries-risk assessment approaches.^*

VARIABLE	SENSITIVITY (%)	SPECIFICITY (%)	POSITIVE PREDICTIVE VALUE (%)	NEGATIVE PREDICTIVE VALUE (%)
CAT Element
Dental interview
Suboptimal fluoride exposure	7.4	100.0	100.0	53.3
≥ 3 between-meal sugar exposures	16.2	86.4	52.8	52.1
Low socioeconomic status	100.0	2.5	49.2	100.0
Recent maternal caries experience	57.2	21.9	40.9	35.1
Special health care needs	2.6	97.5	50.0	51.4
Poor salivary flow	0.9	99.2	50.0	51.4
Clinical evaluation
> 1 area of demineralization	57.2	100.0	100.0	71.2
Gingivitis or visible plaque	94.8	66.9	73.1	93.1
Enamel hypoplasia	5.2	97.1	63.2	52.0
Supplemental assessment
Streptococcus mutans (mutans streptococci [MS]) (moderate or higher levels)	86.5	93.4	92.5	87.9
Caries-risk Assessment Approach CAT	100.0	2.9	49.4	100.0
MS (moderate or higher levels) alone	86.5	93.4	92.5	87.9
CAT excluding socioeconomic status risk factors	85.6	68.6	71.0	83.4
CAT excluding socioeconomic status risk factor plus MS (moderate or higher levels)	95.2	65.7	72.4	93.5

^*Based on the 48.6 percent caries prevalence in the sample.