Introduction: The World Health Organization has a long tradition on the methodology and monitorization of oral health epidemiological investigations, even in the field of dental caries. According to the targets to be attained in 2020, at the age of 6 years, 80% of children should be cavity‐free and, at the age of 12, DMFT should be no more than 1.5. Based on WHO targets for 2020, an epidemio‐ logical study was performed on school children affected by dental caries, aged between 7‐12 years, from the rural areas of the Dolj County. Methodology: The study protocol included conventional and meticulous visual clinical examination of students, according to WHO methodology, in the Pedodontic Clinics of Craiova ‐ Faculty of Medical Dentistry. Also calculated was the DMFT index, by analy‐ sis of the DT, MT, FT components, as well as the dmft index, by analysis of the dt, mt, ft components. Results: The mean indices of carious experience in temporary den‐ tition decrease with age, due to the progressive disappear‐ ance of milk teeth. The DMFT index values are given, in particular, by components that indicate the number of teeth affected by caries and not of the blocked ones. Con‐ clusions: The results obtained emphasize the need for den‐ tal health education programs at national and community level, the kindergartens and schools having a great poten‐ tial to influence dental health care habits in children. Also emphasized was the need for regional prevention pro‐ grams, as part of an overall national program, which has to consider the socio‐economic and cultural factors.