April 19, 2011 Letter
It is not clear why the American Dental Association®, a private organization that is heavily invested in promoting water fluoridation, would have an ally in our nation’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), but it is clear from this April 19, 2011 letter from William Calnon, DDS and Kathleen O’Loughlin DMD, MPH that they do. There is increasing evidence that shows that the fluoridation of our water supply, something that was intended to benefit those without access to proper dental care, is having a disproportionate impact on minority populations. This is something that our government should have an interested in addressing as a matter of the civil rights of these citizens.
However, it is clear that, at least in the mind of the ADA, that HHS has more interest in preventing this issue from “gaining traction” by working with ADA to develop a “mutually supportable” response. It is astounding that this private organization with deep-rooted financial stakes in fluoride and water fluoridation would have the expectation of a close, almost back-door, relationship with the Assistant Secretary of Health – the person charged with protecting the health of all Americans, white, black, latino, etc.
