| While Chicago children suffer with dental pain, | | | | harmful and a waste of money. |
| limousines delivered dignitaries to a large white tent, | | | | Chicago, fluoridated since 1956, in Illinois where |
| ringed with yellow-shirted security guards, where | | | | fluoridation is state-mandated, has a serious dental |
| dentists and others, on government payrolls, kicked | | | | health problem. Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn said, |
| off a four-day 60th birthday party for water | | | | "Dental disease in Illinois students has reached |
| fluoridation replete with ice sculptures, free duffle | | | | epidemic proportions," because few dentists take |
| bags, food and specially made fluoridated bottled | | | | Medicaid or KidsCare payments. (2) Only one fourth |
| water, on July 13, 2005, in Chicago's Millennium Park, | | | | of Chicago dentists accept patients covered by |
| hosted by the American Dental Association (ADA) | | | | government-funded insurance because payment is |
| and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC). | | | | too low. |
| Attendees came, from many states and 7 foreign | | | | According to the Illinois Public Health Department, |
| countries, for continuing education credits, to learn | | | | 38% of 6 to 8-year- olds and 30% of 15-year-olds |
| political fluoridation strategy and/or for a free trip to | | | | live with untreated tooth decay. Despite fluoridation, |
| Chicago. But first they had to pass through | | | | 33% of 3-year-olds have cavities.(3) |
| protesters handing out a timely Washington Post | | | | On July 14, while the ADA celebrated fluoridation as a |
| article entitled, "Professor at Harvard Is Being | | | | cavity remedy for the poor, the ADA also lobbied in |
| Investigated -- Fluoride-Cancer Link May Have Been | | | | Washington against Dental Health Aide Therapists |
| Hidden," published on July 13, 2005.(1) | | | | (DHATs) -- a viable solution for the dentist-neglected |
| Despite sixty years of fluoridation delivered to 2/3 of | | | | poor.(4) |
| Americans via their water supply and 100% via the | | | | DHAT's drill, fill and pull rotted teeth in people and |
| food supply, the U.S. Surgeon General declared tooth | | | | places where dentists won't go. DHAT'S, with |
| decay a national epidemic in 2000. | | | | advanced dental hygienist degrees, work successfully |
| "Fluoridation is hardly anything to celebrate, " says | | | | in many countries. Studies show their work is as |
| lawyer Paul Beeber, NYSCOF President. "Time and | | | | efficient but less costly then dentists'. |
| money spent celebrating fluoridation for four days, | | | | "We believe the ADA's main priority is to protect |
| including out-of-towners hotel and other expenses, | | | | dentist-members lucrative monopoly," says Beeber. |
| could have actually filled many cavities in Chicago's | | | | "And fluoridation campaigns provide organized |
| poor," says Beeber. | | | | dentistry with political viability to get more perks for |
| NYSCOF joined the Fluoride Action Network's protest | | | | dentists from our legislators. Fluoridation does not |
| to educate Chicago residents, legislators and | | | | help the poor." |
| fluoridation party-goers that fluoridation is ineffective, | | | | Eighty percent of dentists refuse Medicaid patients. |