September 2011

In New South Wales (NSW), Australia, the responsibility to implement water fluoridation rests with local government Councils, partly accounting for the hindrance in its statewide implementation. Since 2003, the NSW Health Department has been actively promoting water fluoridation to the remaining unfluoridated rural communities. Objectives: To describe the community education and consultation strategies which led to the implementation of fluoridation in two rural NSW towns. Methods: In February 2005, the Mid-Western Regional Council and the NSW Health Department undertook a comprehensive community education process followed by a consultation process. The education process included the organization of public forums; distribution of fluoridation information packs; building rapport with the local media; and the use of local disease and treatment data to demonstrate oral health disparities with neighbouring fluoridated towns. The consultation process to determine support for fluoridation included seeking written submissions from the community and conducting interviews on a random sample of households by an independent research organization. Results: A total of 502 (N=1,012) interviews to determine support for fluoridation were completed, achieving a response rate of 49.6%. 54% of respondents wanted their water supplies fluoridated, 25% did not and the remaining 21% were unsure. In June 2005, the Mid-Western Regional Council resolved to implement water fluoridation and fluoride was added to the towns’ water supplies in November 2007. Conclusions: This case study demonstrates that it is possible to garner community support for water fluoridation with the use of a multifaceted approach in educating and consulting communities and stakeholders. Key words: water fluoridation, pro-fluoridation campaign, community consultation process, community education program, community fluoridation support