Abstract
This is the first article in a series on the prescription of removable partial dentures. It addresses basic clinical and patient-related factors involved in decision-making before commencing active prosthodontic treatment. Further papers will outline a variety of impression techniques for primary and definitive impression, discuss designing principles, give an overview of some technological aspects of removable partial denture-making and provide guidelines on how to diagnose and manage common clinical problems associated with removable partial dentures.