The limited usefulness of caries activity tests based solely on counts of mutans streptococci has been recognised increasingly. Such tests do not account for potential differences in cariogenicity of Streptococcus mutans strains harboured by individual patients. Hence, this study describes the evaluation of a simple and inexpensive method involving the dissolution of powdered hydroxyapatite as a means of determining the cariogenic potential of 64 freshly isolated strains of S. mutans from 24 children. Whilst it is apparent that differences between strains isolated from individuals could be demonstrated using this test, the variability observed was such that it was not possible to relate in vitro cariogenicity to actual clinical caries experience.