The data presented in this paper are from the Piedmont 65+ Dental Study (1988–1991), designed to assess the levels of coronal and root caries, periodontal disease, tooth loss, and a variety of dental health-related needs among a representative sample of 234 black and 218 white noninstitutionalized older adults in North Carolina. Of the 452 subjects followed for 3 years, 45% of blacks and 59% of the whites developed new coronal caries when caries was defined as decayed and filled surfaces, decayed root fragments, and crowned surfaces (p = 0.022). The annualized rate of caries increment for blacks and whites was 0.8 and 1.6 surfaces per 100 at risk (p