Both supporters and opponents of water fluoridation released a list Wednesday of 11 ways the dental health of children in Multnomah County can be improved.

The Children’s Dental Health Task Force was formed in 2013 after Portland’s contentious vote on fluoride.

The group spent the last year coming up with alternatives to water fluoridation.

Task force spokesman Mel Rader said those alternatives include the increased use of fluoride varnishes and sealants on teeth, more dental education, and the building of community partnerships which would allow kids to get help in places other than the dentist’s office.

“Oregon dental statistics are about average but what we see is that there’s great disparities across race and class,” said Rader. “There are still a lot of kids who are left out and we have an opportunity to do better.”

Several of the groups’ recommendations mirror those in the state’s recent six-year plan for dental health.

The City Club of Portland is scheduled to host a forum Friday.

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