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Newsletter #1	Week of 1/7/08

• Market Survey Shows Widespread Support for Community Water Fluoridation
• PA Rural Health Association Joins PA FLUORIDE NOW

Market Survey Shows Widespread Support for Community Water Fluoridation
A statewide survey commissioned by the FLUORIDE NOW COALITION shows overwhelming support for legislation requiring community water supplies to be set at optimal fluoride levels. The survey also found that consumers understand the critical need for proactive and preventive oral health care as a way to keep health care costs in check.

“There’s no doubt that Pennsylvanians understand the stakes here and that now is the time to ensure every one of our residents has the benefit of fluoridated water,” said Peter J. Shelly, spokesman for the FLUORIDE NOW COALITION. “We found support in every demographic, in every region and in both major political parties.”

The key highlights of the poll include:

• Eighty-five (85) percent believe it is very important to take proactive steps to improve oral health and prevent dental decay with things like periodic dental visits, oral supplements and other preventative measures.
  
  
• Sixty (60) percent say either the failure to take preventative steps to stop dental decay or the lack of adequate dental insurance has a major impact on health care costs, while 50% believe emergency room visits used to treat dental problems has a major impact on these costs, compared to only 5% who say it has no impact at all.  This suggests most people understand the benefits that taking preventative steps to improve oral health and prevent dental decay can have controlling health care costs.
  

• By an overwhelming 65/27 margin (or greater than 2:1), Pennsylvanians support legislation requiring community water supplies to be set at optimal fluoride levels as a way to improve overall oral health and help prevent dental decay.
  

• Seventy-three (73) percent say they would be willing to pay up to $3.00 more per year for fluoridated water if it means we can improve overall oral health and reduce dental decay for children and adults

The Coalition commissioned the survey as part of a sustained grassroots effort to drive public attention on the need to provide fluoride in every community across the state. The coalition has launched a new web site that contains accurate information concerning fluoride. The coalition is comprised of community health foundations, public health advocates, doctors, dentists and other healthcare professionals as well as business leaders.

The survey of 750 likely voters was conducted in December. The margin of error for a sample size of 750 is +/-3.5% at the 95% confidence level.

PA Rural Health Association Joins PA FLUORIDE NOW Effort
One of the Commonwealth’s leading voices for quality healthcare in our rural areas has endorsed the coalition’s efforts to expand access to fluoride in our Commonwealth and is endorsing House Bill 1649.

“The Pennsylvania Rural Health Association (PRHA) believes that supplying fluoridated water to as many rural Pennsylvanians as possible would help improve the oral health and lives of those residents,” said Walter Eisenhauer is President of the Pennsylvania Rural Health Association.

Mr. Eisenhauer added, “Rural residents face different challenges than urban residents in keeping their teeth and gums healthy.  Many have to travel greater distances to see a dentist and may lack access to public transportation.  More rural residents are self-employed or work for small companies than urban residents, increasing the likelihood that they have no private dental insurance.  In fact, one study showed that 72 percent of rural elderly lacked dental insurance compared to 66 percent of urban elderly.”  To read the entire OP-ED, please CLICK HERE

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