An enquiry among 50 successful, general dental practitioners working under a capitation payment system for the treatment of children, showed that they all thought that prevention on selected patients was of value to their practice. They said that prevention enhances the reputation of the practice, adds to the job satisfaction of the dentist and is part of modern dental philosophy. However, only when practised selectively would it be cost: beneficial. The most popular preventive treatments were fissure sealants, particularly when used on selected patients, oral hygiene demonstrations and, among a group of enthusiastic dentists, dietary counselling. Dentists who employed hygienists had a significantly higher 'mean preventive awareness score' than those who did not.