Practical, cost-effective implementation of caries management in general practice has been limited by several factors. The single pathogen model of disease has not been effective in clinical caries management, and the advent of the ecologic plaque model and a better understanding of the management of imbalances in dental biofilms have led to the development of more effective treatment protocols based on the elevation of oral pH. Simplification of caries risk assessment, in combination with more effective treatment regimens, means effective caries management can be readily provided by general dentists. These gains in efficiency and efficacy, in combination with applicable current dental terminology (CDT) codes, means that caries management has become economically viable in private practice.