WHEN Heathcote Health CEO Dan Douglass took on the role in 2012, he didn\u2019t realise the town\u2019s water supply wasn\u2019t fluoridated.<\/p>\n
Since then, there\u2019s been almost a decade of oral health promotion and advocacy to the State Government led by the community.<\/p>\n
Mr Douglass said a few years ago students from La Trobe University completed research in the area, which showed tooth decay levels for children were worse in Heathcote than the state and local average, and people older than 55 had fewer teeth.<\/p>\n
\u201cTheir research demonstrated that fluoridation is the best available intervention from a population health perspective to prevent tooth decay,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Recent upgrades to Coliban Water\u2019s treatment plant in Heathcote have made fluoridation possible, however the process requires $920,000 from the State Government.<\/p>\n
At last week\u2019s council meeting, City of Greater Bendigo councillors voted unanimously to advocate for State Government funding in the lead up to the election in November, noting it is too expensive for the municipality to fund itself.<\/p>\n
A Department of Health spokesperson said they welcome the City\u2019s interest and support.<\/p>\n
\u201cOral health is important to a person\u2019s overall health, and water fluoridation helps to reduce preventable tooth decay across the population,\u201d the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n
The department has an oral health action plan, which aims to increase water fluoridation access in rural and regional communities from 87 percent to 95 per cent by 2030.<\/p>\n
Mr Douglass said he has written to different ministers for health on several occasions, each time to no avail.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not frustrated, we just want to know what the process is and put forward a case,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe understand there is competing priorities for funding, and we just need to present as positive a case for fluoridation as we can.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to the SEIFA index for disadvantage 2016, Heathcote was ranked fourth for most disadvantaged in Greater Bendigo.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got a number of people that are disadvantage socio-economically and we\u2019ve got the added issue of distance to public dental services in Bendigo,\u201d Mr Douglass said.<\/p>\n
\u201cFluoridation of the water supply here would be a significant improvement to the health of our population.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe people that might object to it, they\u2019re probably on tank water anyway so there\u2019s that opportunity in rural areas if you don\u2019t agree with town water being fluoridated you\u2019ve got your own options to take.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
WHEN Heathcote Health CEO Dan Douglass took on the role in 2012, he didn\u2019t realise the town\u2019s water supply wasn\u2019t fluoridated. Since then, there\u2019s been almost a decade of oral health promotion and advocacy to the State Government led by the community. Mr Douglass said a few years ago students from La Trobe University completed […]<\/p>\n