The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of iron-deficiency anaemia in children less than 6 years of age who attended for outpatient general anaesthesia for dental extractions. Pre- or peri-operative capillary blood samples were taken from 109 children (70 white Caucasian and 39 ethnic-minority children). The haemoglobin concentration (Hb), mean cell volume (MCV) and red cell porphyrin (RCP) value were determined for each subject. 19% of the children were found to be anaemic (Hb < 11 g/dl) and there was no statistically significant difference for mean Hb or prevalence of anaemia between white Caucasian and ethnic-minority children. A significantly greater proportion of the ethnic-minority children were iron deficient, as indicated by low MCV and high RCP. There were no statistically significant differences between anaemic and non-anaemic subjects with regard to sex or social class, but a significantly greater mean number of extractions were performed in the anaemic children.