May 1, 2025 5 min read Archive

Fluoride fight escalates

Patients are consumers. And health care, dentistry included, is being reshaped by consumerism. Dentists need to understand what this trend means for their practices and adapt. Plus, we dive into the public health consequences of the ongoing federal push to revisit fluoridation of drinking water in a chat with University of Illinois professor Dr. Scott Tomar.

Inside the mouth. At the Corpus Museum in the Netherlands, visitors can step inside an oversized version of the human mouth as a part of an interactive exhibit on human biology.

Oral health and mental health. New research found more evidence of a connection between oral health and anxiety and depression. For example, elderly adults who brushed their teeth regularly were less likely to develop anxiety.

Value-based care in dentistry. Peter Fuentes, DMD, chief dental officer at MetLife, answered questions about the insurance company's value-based dental care program and the importance of preventative care in a Q&A with Dentistry Today.

Dental collaboration. Head and neck cancers can lead to dental complications, but collaboration between dentists and radiation oncologists can lead to better patient outcomes.

A new ADA symposium. On June 13-14, the American Dental Association (ADA) is hosting a symposium: Dentistry's Role in Complete Health 2025. Attendees can earn 14 CE credits.

‘One of incredibly few public health measures we have that actually saves money’

Fluoride continues to make headlines following Utah’s decision to ban its use in the public water supply, while Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pushes federal agencies to reexamine their guidance on the subject.

Public health experts and leaders in the dental industry have spoken out in favor of the benefits of fluoridation. Scott Tomar, DMD, DrPH, associate dean for prevention and public sciences at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) College of Dentistry, talked to Dental Bite about fluoride bans, what they could mean for oral health and what dentists can be doing to prepare. -Carrie Pallardy

Utah has become the first state to ban fluoride in its public drinking water, and there are other efforts to do the same in other parts of the country. How could these bans impact public health?

Unfortunately, what I expect to see is what we've seen in other communities that have stopped fluoridation. Probably an increased prevalence of dental caries starting first with young children, an increased rate of treatment for caries and increased costs related to that. That's what we've seen in Juneau, Alaska, in Calgary and in Israel when they stopped fluoridation. And unfortunately, that's what I think we're going to see in places like Utah.

What role could state agencies potentially play in federal guidance on fluoridation changes?

Community water fluoridation has always, since it started 80 years ago, been a local issue. There are some states that have fluoridation mandates. I think 12 states had state mandates on fluoridation for communities of at least a certain size. But for most of the country, it's always been a local issue.

Depending on the EPA's ruling, I'm not an attorney, I don’t know how this may play out, but states, I suppose, could challenge the EPA's ruling depending on how they come down on this issue.

How can dentists prepare for the potential impact on oral health outcomes? Should they be considering talking to their patients?
I think that dentists have a key role in talking to their patients and, frankly, to their elected leaders to explain that this is a safe and effective measure to help prevent tooth decay.

We are not only dentists, but we're also healthcare providers and scientists. So, we certainly look at the literature, try to stay abreast of the science. And the best available evidence, again, suggests that this is a safe and effective public health measure.

Not that many years ago, the CDC declared it one of 10 great public health achievements of the last century, and nothing has changed since then. So, I think dentists can assure their patients that this is safe and effective.

For communities that, unfortunately, have already made the decision to change, I think dentists need to take that into account in doing caries risk assessment for their patients because they will not be getting the benefit of water fluoridation, which we know on average has about a 25% prevention effectiveness in caries reduction.

So, I think that they will begin to see more patients developing caries, and it'll probably need to adjust the frequency of things like topical fluoride applications in response to that.

Supplements are an option. I personally don't think that they're a great option. It puts the burden on families for both the cost and to ensure that they're administering the drops or tablets to their children every day. Historically, compliance is pretty low. But I think it's a minimum they can assure their patients that the fluorides that we use in toothpaste, in topical fluorides as well as in fluoridation, are safe and effective.

Continue reading the full interview on our website, www.dentalbite.co

Responses have been edited for brevity and clarity.

Navigating the age of dental consumerism

Consumerism is a major trend in the health care industry, and one that dentists should be paying attention to. Scott J. Manning, MBA, the founder of Dental Success Today, writes in an article for Dental Economics about how dentistry is moving away from the volume-driven world of insurance to the patient-centric, value-driven world of consumerism.

Why it matters: If dentists do not recognize the shift toward consumerism, they risk losing business. Embracing personalized care and options like membership models could help practices thrive. (Dental Economics)

Lessons in real estate strategy

Real estate is a core piece of dental practice expansion. In an episode of The Driven Dental Podcast, Nate Palmer, president of Leaders Real Estate, talks about his experience developing more than 600 urgent care centers. Dentists can learn about multi-site growth and operation from his experience.

Why it matters: Entrepreneurial dentists who want to build out multiple practices need to understand the ins and outs of real estate strategy. (The Driven Dental Podcast)

The key to financial health

In an article for Dentistry IQ, Katrina Klein, RDH, offers tips for dentists and their staff to navigate an economic downturn. Practice owners can adopt financial wellness strategies, like budgeting, for themselves and offer education and support to their staff members.

Why it matters: With ongoing concerns of a recession, dental practice owners and their teams can prioritize sustainable practices for financial well-being. (Dentistry IQ)