Abstract Aim To describe the prevalence, severity and extension of clinical attachment loss ( CAL ) and to study the predictors in 15‐ to 19‐year‐old adolescents from high schools in the L atin A merica. Materials and Methods A cross‐sectional, epidemiological study was performed. The sample included 1070 high school adolescents 15–19 years of age from S antiago de C hile ( C hile), B uenos A ires, C órdoba, M endoza ( A rgentina), M ontevideo ( U ruguay), Q uito ( E cuador) and M edellín ( C olombia). Calibrated examiners performed full mouth, six sites per tooth clinical examination. Results There was a response rate of 100%. The prevalence of CAL ≥3 mm in ≥1 site was 32.6%, probing pocket depth ≥4 mm was 59.3% and bleeding on probing ( B o P ) ≥25% was 28.6%. The logistic regression analysis adjusted for cities revealed that smoking ( OR = 1.6), attending public school ( OR = 2.3) and having a B o P ≥25% ( OR = 4.2) were positively associated with CAL ≥3 mm in ≥ 1 site. Conclusion Clinical attachment loss was prevalent in Latin America adolescents and it is associated with smoking, attendance public school and B o P .