Presents the EPOS database which comprises a list of orthographic neighbors of the 7,076 head words in the Basic Vocabulary of the Italian Language list (T. De Mauro, 1991) and the Zingarelli dictionary (N. Zingarelli, 1999). Development and structure of the database are described. The use of the EPOS database to facilitate the construction of lists of words with a stated number of neighbors and in the development of experimental research studies on the reading ability of good readers and dyslexic subjects is discussed.