The dental health of Chinese children remains a problem despite efforts made during the past decade.

Prof. Shi Sijian, head of the Institute of Children's Stomatology with Shanghai-based Tongji University, said that tooth decay is a serious concern for Chinese children. Despite the economic progress and awareness campaigns, the country's children are still plagued by cavities.

While addressing a symposium in Shanghai Thursday, Shi said rural children have a higher incidence of tooth decay than their urban counterparts.

A survey shows that tooth decay occurs in 75.7 percent of five-year-old urban children and 78.3 percent of rural Chinese children. This is compared to 30 percent in northern European children.

China has been implementing the scheme entitled "sweet smile and bright future" launched by WHO, a worldwide education program on oral health for school-age children, since 1994.

In accordance to the targets for oral health established by the World Health Organization, the tooth decay free rate for children of age five to six should be 90 percent by 2010.

Children under age 14 account for 300 million of China's 1.3 billion population.