State Oral Health Director Minnesota Department of Health
Disclosure(s):
Prasida Khanal, BDS, MPH: No financial relationships to disclose
Description: Children from low-income and racial/ethnic minority families experience disproportionate levels of dental caries, while they may not be receiving the full benefits of community water fluoridation. As a result, promoting fluoridated community water consumption over bottled water is an important target for addressing oral health disparities. This study conducted a key informant interview among diverse stakeholders and parents to capture the trends and correlates of drinking fluoridated water. The qualitative data were analyzed to generate themes that helped build Minnesota Department of Health's (MDH) communication planning. As a result, MDH developed and disseminated culturally relevant tools for increasing the awareness about drinking tap water with fluoride for oral health benefits.
