To elicit perceptions of oral health among youth as an initial step in the development of oral health item banks for the Patient-Reported Oral Health Outcomes Measurement Information System project, researchers conducted four English-language focus groups: two with children, 8-12 years old (n=14; 9 boys, 5 girls) and two with adolescents, 13-17 years old (n=15; 10 girls, 5 boys) from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic groups. Families with dental homes located in different types of practices serving the Los Angeles area were recruited to participate in the focus groups. Transcripts from audiotapes of sessions were analyzed using NVivo. Word frequencies were used to identify potentially important issues for these children and adolescents. Content analysis, including a thematic and narrative analysis, was used to uncover important themes.