Validation of International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS)-II Short Version and Community Caries Index for Assessing Caries and Treatment Needs in Six- to 15-Year-Old Children in Ghaziabad: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction Dental caries remains a prevalent public health concern, particularly among children in developing countries. The assessment of caries experience and treatment needs is essential for formulating effective intervention strategies. Objectives To evaluate and validate the caries experience and treatment needs of children aged 6-15 years in Ghaziabad City using the Community Caries Index of Treatment Needs and International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS)-II. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1200 school children of Ghaziabad city. Data were collected from government and private schools through multistage cluster sampling. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 25.0 (IBM Inc., Armonk, New York), including sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratio, predictive values, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis for diagnostic accuracy. Results The short ICDAS-II version demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy for moderate to advanced carious lesions (sensitivity 99.6%, specificity 98.6%, weighted kappa 99.0%), although early-stage, non-cavitated lesions were slightly underreported compared to the full ICDAS-II system. Conclusion The ICDAS-II short version provides a practical and effective approach to assessing dental caries in children. Integrating standardized tools like ICDAS-II with the Community Caries Index of Treatment Needs into public health policies can enhance caries prevention and treatment. Strengthening community-based interventions and increasing oral health awareness are key to improving dental health outcomes.