OBJECTIVES: We compared the periodontal disease levels in a population of low socioeconomic status (SES), urban, adult, Chinese American immigrants with and without type 2 diabetes. METHODS: Dental records of 51 diabetic adults were compared with 102 nondiabetic controls from South Cove Community Health Center, Boston, MA, cross-matched by age and gender. RESULTS: Our results showed that the proportion of sites with bone loss greater than 5 mm in the mesial areas of teeth was significantly correlated with higher glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) (r = 0.35, P-value = 0.01). The number of teeth with mesial bone loss of greater than 5 mm was correlated to increasing HbA1c (r = 0.37, P-value = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Our preliminary data showed that mesial bone loss greater than 5 mm was correlated with inadequate control of diabetes. The implications and recommendations for the dental care of immigrant Chinese Americans with diabetes were discussed.