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Abstract
Otitis media (OM) and dental caries significantly impact children’s quality of life and development. Both conditions have complex, multi-factorial etiologies involving genetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors, yet their relationship remains unclear due to mixed findings in prior research. Historically, these diseases have been highly prevalent in Palau, but current prevalence data are lacking. This project aims to describe the present prevalence of OM and dental caries, test the hypothesis that the two conditions are associated, and identify significant predictors for both primary and permanent dental caries within the population.