Statewide antifluoridation initiatives: A new challenge to health workers

Health workers should support immediate efforts to further educate the public and legislators regarding the benefits of fluoridation in anticipation of a large scale attack upon fluoridation. A voting constituency supportive of water fluoridation should be developed. Public health workers should familiarize themselves with the political process which may be available to those who oppose fluoridation in their state. Consideration should be given to political strategies which might be employed by public health workers, locally and nationally, to curtail the likelihood of increased opposition to fluoridation; and improved communications should be developed among private sector health interests, local, state, and federal health agencies regarding information exchange, strategy development, and campaign tactics. It is suggested that the time is appropriate for a national conference to be held to explore these emerging developments in detail.