The office of CDC’s Division of Oral Health, the main promoter of water fluoridation in the U.S. government, has been dissolved.

A major shakeup within HHS has hit fluoride-promoting agencies hard.

In addition to cuts at the CDC, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has eliminated the Chief Dental Officer role, and 17% of staff have been laid off at the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), another main promoter of water fluoridation.

It’s a move that signals a broad shift in how the U.S. federal government views water fluoridation.