Community Water Fluoridation Communication – Lessons learned from the Texas Fluoridation Campaign

Josefine Ortiz Wolfe, PhD, RDH, CHES

Josefine Ortiz Wolfe, Ph.D., RDH, CHES, is an assistant professor at A.T. Still University within the College of Graduate Health Studies.  Dr. Wolfe is a Registered Dental Hygienist, Certified Health Education Specialist, and a National Health Service Corps Scholar Alumni.  She earned an undergraduate degree in dental hygiene from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, a Master of Science in and a doctoral degree from Walden University. Previously, Dr. Wolfe served as the director of the Oral Health Program at Texas Health Institute and the project coordinator of a school-based dental sealant program at the City of San Antonio’s Health Department. Dr. Wolfe serves as Chairperson for the American Public Health Association’s Oral Health Section and is also a member of the Speakers Bureau for the American Association of Public Health Dentistry. Her research interests include health communication, oral health equity, social and structural determinants of health in Latino and immigrant populations.

Course Description

Access to information via the internet has dramatically changed the dynamics of health information and has amplified the spread of misinformation. Communication techniques have changed over the last decade, especially with the popularity of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, etc. We, as health professionals, must adapt our communication methods to keep up with the changing times. This lecture will provide specific examples to illustrate the process of building data-driven, evidence-based health communication campaigns. Lessons learned from the Texas Fluoridation Campaign will be discussed and how these lessons can be implemented to help us communicate with our patients more effectively. Techniques to identify fluoride hesitant beliefs and methods used to understand and address the root causes of those beliefs will be reviewed.  Updates surrounding community water fluoridation and the benefits of community water fluoridation in improving oral health will be discussed. Resources developed by the Texas Fluoridation Campaign will be reviewed.

Educational Objectives:

• Recognize the importance of patient centered messages and approaches for delivering effective health messages
• Review community water fluoridation communication techniques
• Discuss updates surrounding community water fluoridation and the benefits of community water fluoridation in improving oral health

Credit hours: 1.0 CEU

Teaching Method: Self-Instruction

Cost: Free

Josefine Wolfe Financial Disclosure

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Presenter Contact Information: Josefine Wolfe – josefine.wolfe @live.com

Date of Original Presentation: January 29, 2021

Date Reviewed: February 2, 2021

Date Released: February 17, 2021

Date of Expiration: January 29, 2023

AGD Subject Code: 770