Community Dental Health

cover art

Cover Date:
September 2011
Print ISSN:
0265 539X
Vol:
28
Issue:
3

Investing in professional advocacy: a case study of a successful fluoridation campaign in rural New South Wales, Australia

In New South Wales (NSW), Australia, the responsibility to implement water fluoridation rests with local government Councils, partly accounting for the hindrance in its statewide implementation. Since 2003, the NSW Health Department has been actively promoting water fluoridation to the remaining unfluoridated rural communities. Objectives: To describe the community education and consultation strategies which led to the implementation of fluoridation in two rural NSW towns. Methods: In February 2005, the Mid-Western Regional Council and the NSW Health Department undertook a comprehensive community education process followed by a consultation process. The education process included the organization of public forums; distribution of fluoridation information packs; building rapport with the local media; and the use of local disease and treatment data to demonstrate oral health disparities with neighbouring fluoridated towns. The consultation process to determine support for fluoridation included seeking written submissions from the community and conducting interviews on a random sample of households by an independent research organization. Results: A total of 502 (N=1,012) interviews to determine support for fluoridation were completed, achieving a response rate of 49.6%. 54% of respondents wanted their water supplies fluoridated, 25% did not and the remaining 21% were unsure. In June 2005, the Mid-Western Regional Council resolved to implement water fluoridation and fluoride was added to the towns’ water supplies in November 2007. Conclusions: This case study demonstrates that it is possible to garner community support for water fluoridation with the use of a multifaceted approach in educating and consulting communities and stakeholders.

Key words: water fluoridation, pro-fluoridation campaign, community consultation process, community education program, community fluoridation support

Article Price
£15.00
Institution Article Price
£
Page Start
0
Page End
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Authors
S. Sivaneswaran, G.T.F. Chong

Articles from this issue

  • Title
  • Pg. Start
  • Pg. End

  1. Investing in professional advocacy: a case study of a successful fluoridation campaign in rural New South Wales, Australia
  2. 0
  3. 0

  1. Editorial - Position papers by EADPH Special Interest Groups
  2. 190
  3. 190

  1. Tooth wear and erosion: Methodological issues in epidemiological and public health research and the future research agenda
  2. 191
  3. 195

  1. The relationship between tooth wear in the primary and permanent dentitions
  2. 196
  3. 200

  1. The efficacy of dentifrices on extrinsic tooth stains among community dwelling adults in India – a randomised controlled trial
  2. 201
  3. 205

  1. Clinical and socio-demographic factors influencing the oral health-related quality of life of Chinese elders
  2. 206
  3. 210

  1. The effects of chronic pain on oral health related quality of life in patients with anterior disc displacement with reduction.
  2. 211
  3. 215

  1. Dental self-care and visiting behaviour in relation to social inequality in caries experience
  2. 216
  3. 221

  1. Clinical evaluation of chlorhexidine for the control of dental biofilm in children with special needs
  2. 222
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  1. Oral health related quality of life among children with parents and those with no parents
  2. 227
  3. 231

  1. Psychometric properties of long and short forms of the Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ11-14) in a Thai population
  2. 232
  3. 237

  1. Dental examiners consistency in applying the ICDAS criteria for a caries prevention community trial
  2. 238
  3. 242

  1. Relationship of caries and fluorosis in adolescents from highand low-fluoride areas in Iran
  2. 248
  3. 252