A study was undertaken on a sample of children who had teeth removed under general anaesthesia by Leicestershire Community Dental service over a six month period. Three hundred and nine subjects were included in the study. The age range was from 2-15 years, 83 per cent of subjects were of European origin and 13 per cent were of Asian origin. Sixty two per cent lived at postal addresses which had positive Jarman scores. Some 52 per cent had been attending their referring clinician for more than a year, while 25 per cent had attended their referring dentist for the first time with the acute problem for which they were referred. Twenty three per cent had had a dental general anaesthetic on a previous occasion, while 46 per cent had never had any restorative care. There is some evidence to show that demand for general anaesthesia is related to positive Jarman scores. The demand for repeat general anaesthesia could be reduced by a more aggressive prescribing of extractions, in children under four.