Meeting Public Comments

Subcommittee meeting and times are as follows:

A bill for an act relating to notice requirements prior to discontinuing fluoridation in a public water supply system, and making penalties applicable.(See HF 390.)

Subcommittee members: Westrich-CH, Best, Nielsen

Date: Thursday, January 28, 2021

Time: 12:00 PM - 12:30 PM

Location: RM 102, Sup. Ct. Consult

Names and comments are public records. Remaining information is considered a confidential record.

Comments Submitted:

01-27-2021

Mary Kelly

Community Water Fluoridation is a safe and effective public health measure. It saves Iowans of all ages from unnecessary dental decay or at minimum reduces their risk.Water systems have to notify the community if there is too much fluoride in the water system; this measure is in alignment with that. This is not changing CWF levels only to notify the public that this measure that something is being taken away.

01-28-2021

Steph Chickering

As a dental professional, I urge you to strongly consider passing this legislation. Many individuals in our state need and depend on community water fluoridation to keep their teeth and mouths healthy. Many Iowans are not able to find a dentist who accepts their insurance (if they have insurance) or cannot afford to pay for dental care. Fluoridation is a very inexpensive, yet cost effective method to keep dental decay rates low. It is a public health measure that benefits ALL Iowans at a very minimal cost.

01-28-2021

Gloria Vermie [Rural Health Consultant]

HF84 is important to parents and communities who deserved to be informed and interested in health. It is a few years after fluoridation has been stopped before parents and dentists see cavities and oral/dental problems in young children. Cavities. Are. Painful. Thank youGloria Vermie RN, MPH

01-28-2021

Emily Mendez [Dental Connections]

It is important that we ensure Iowans are informed of their communitys water fluoridation levels. Public awareness should be a priority so that Iowans are able to make decisions about this important preventive measure. Fluoridation in water is proven to have a positive impact on the dental health of a community.

01-28-2021

Rebecca Hackett-Leas [Johnson County Public Health]

I am a dental hygienist and a Mom. I have four daughters. When my oldest two children were 3 and 5 years old, we moved from a town with fluoridated water to a farm with private well water without fluoride. My third and forth children were born after our move. To make a long story short, my youngest children (who had unfluoridated well water) had a few cavities in their baby teeth and my older two children (who had fluoridated water until ages 3 and 5)did not. I do not feel that I have to advocate for the benefits of water fluoridation, those facts are clear. What I do want to do, is urge you to require water treatment systems to be transparent and upfront with the residents they serve. The beauty of water fluoridation is that we, as parents, know that it is there and we do not have to think about it day to day. If water systems are allowed to remove a component that historically has protected the teeth of our children and then it is suddenly removed without notice, we will continue to assume that it is there. That could have devastating and unforeseen affects, in regard to children getting cavities. We will also be denied the opportunity to inquire about the reasons that it was removed and advocate our position about such a remarkable health benefit. Please, as a dental professional and as a Mom, pass this bill into law and require water systems to provide the courtesy and transparency of informing the citizens that they serve, about the actions that they are considering in regard to discontinuing water fluoridation.