This study assessed oral health status for preschool-aged children in the Navajo Nation to obtain data on baseline decayed , missing , and filled tooth surfaces ( dmfs ) and dental caries patterns , describe sociodemographic correlates of children 's baseline dmfs measures , and compare the children 's dmfs measures with previous dental survey data for the Navajo Nation from the Indian Health Service and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey ( NHANES ) .