Preventive
Ana M. Ibarra Noriega, DDS, MS, MPH
Pediatric Dentistry PGY1
Rutgers School of Dental Medicine, Newark, NJ
Rutgers School of Dental Medicine
Newark, New Jersey, United States
Richard Rosivack, DMD
Chair, Department of Pediatric Dentistry
RSDM Pediatric Dentistry
Newark, New Jersey, United States
Richard Rosivack, DMD
Chair, Department of Pediatric Dentistry
RSDM Pediatric Dentistry
Newark, New Jersey, United States
Fluoridated water (WF) is one of the 10 major public health achievements of the 20th century and the most cost-effective and equitable method of delivering fluoride to members of a community. While most states in the USA (86%, n=44/51) have WF systems serving more than 50% of the state’s population, New Jersey has the second to lowest population percentage receiving WF (16%). Patients and their families are often unaware of the fluoride levels in their water, so it may be up to providers to identify that information. The objective of this project was to map a process to identify WF levels at specific addresses. After an exhaustive internet search and obtaining and analyzing a dataset from the NJ Bureau of Safe Drinking Water, it was found that additional research is needed to determine specific fluoride levels at a home address, which may be extremely challenging for both parents and practitioners.