ASTDD Roundup for January and February 2023
Selected Consultant, Committee, Project and Meeting Summaries
By Bev Isman, RDH, MPH, ELS
Excerpts:
Communications Committee (CC)
… Matt Jacob and John Welby conducted an interactive workshop on Foundational Strategies for Effective Communication for dental public health residents at the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR). The three-hour training was developed at the request of Renée W. Joskow DDS, CAPT, US Public Health Service and Senior Advisor to the NIDCR Director. Conducted virtually in two sessions — one in December and a second in January — session one provided an overview of the fundamental principles of strategic communication while also recommending strategies for preparing briefings and responding to the media. These strategies included tips for creating effective soundbites and staying on message. The second session saw participants put their communication skills into practice as they engaged in one of three media scenarios:
• a mock radio interview on exposure to fluoride and neurotoxicity
• a briefing on emerging science and promising technologies in oral health; and
• drafting an e-newsletter article on oral health and aging.
Fluorides Committee (FC)
The Fluorides Committee held monthly meetings. The Community Water Fluoridation (CWF) CoP met on January 17 and was attended by about 59 individuals. It featured Robin Miller, Oral Health Director for Vermont, and Dustin Jurgenson, the state fluoridation coordinator, relating a “cautionary tale” about their
recent, nationally covered experience when a water system operator unilaterally decided to lower the fluoride level for several years. The session also included discussion of ASTDD developing “tip sheets” for talking points on fluoride additive shortages and notification language when CWF is stopped, regardless of the reason. We are following up on these suggestions. CWF CoP meetings are now generally open to the Fluorides Committee and ASTDD’s CWF discussion list.
The ASTDD letter to the editor regarding issues with the Critical Windows of Fluoride Neurotoxicity in Canadian Children article by L Farmus and colleagues (2021) has been published electronically by the Journal of Environmental Research. It is available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2021.111315.
There are several fluoridation sessions during the NOHC. Matt Jacob and Johnny Johnson are presenting a weekend workshop on Saturday April 15 from 8:00-11:00, Using Targeted Briefings to Strengthen Partners’ Knowledge of Water Fluoridation. Monday, April 17 from 2:30 to 4:00 Tracy Boehmer and Johnny Johnson are presenting, Are Your Water Systems Properly Fluoridating? What to Know and How to Educate. CDC is sponsoring two sessions: Monday, April 17 from 4:30 to 5:30, CDC Water Fluoridation 101, and then immediately following from 5:30 to 6:30, CDC Community Water Fluoridation Update.
Judy Feinstein sent three Fluoridation Activity Updates and Alerts during January and February and a recent one that covered alerts through March 2. She sent follow up emails to contacts in Oklahoma, Missouri, Michigan, West Virgina and Vermont…
See original in pdf format, http://fluoridealert.org/wp-content/uploads/astdd-roundup-for-jan-feb-2023.pdf
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