17
Volume1 Issue7
|
N
ews and
E
vents
Thecity stoppedaddingfluoride to itswater supply in2008
becauseof thecost associatedwith theneeded restoration
of itsdrinkingwater treatment plants. However, aprovince-
wideprogram for thefluoridationof drinkingwater allowed
Trois-Rivières to reintroduceCWF, as theprogramwill cover all
fluoridation-relatedexpenses. It could takeup to5years for
citizensof Trois-Rivières to start drinkingfluoridatedwater again—
the reintroductionof CWFbeingamultistepprocess that starts
with theconstructionof new infrastructure.
“Thiswas an important vote,” explainedDr. BarryDolman,
president of theOrder ofDentistsofQuebec. “Weneededamajor
city to take thefirst step, tocauseadominoeffect. Suchavote in
favour of CWFencouragesus to keepadvocating inothermajor
cities.”
WhileTrois-RivièresMayor Yves Lévesque ispleasedwith the
turnof events,manycitycouncillors felt that suchpublichealth
decisions shouldbemadeby theprovincial government. “We
had to settleaverydivisivedebate, bothwithin thepopulation
andcouncil,” saidCouncillor Jean-FrançoisAubin. “I heard
what both sideshad to sayand, as I amnot anexpert inCWF, I
decided to follow the recommendationsmadeby theprovince’s
department of publichealth.”
TheQuebecgovernment launched itsprogram for thefluoridationof drinkingwater in2005 to
improve theoral healthof itspopulation. “Water fluoridation is thecornerstoneof anypublic
preventiveoral healthprogram, andallmunicipalities concerned should institute it,” says the
province’sdirector of publichealth inapositiondocument.
a
Trois-
Rivières
to reintroduce
community
water
fluoridation
InFebruary2014,
thecitycouncillors
ofTrois-Rivières,
Quebec, votedbya
marginof9 to7 in
favourof reintroducing
community water
fluoridation (CWF).
QuebecDentistsMobilize
for those inneed
InSeptember, theFoundationof theOrderofDentists ofQuebec
(FODQ) launched the
BoucheB
[OpenMouth] project toofferfree
care toQuebecerswithurgentdental needs.More than200dentistshave
volunteered to takepart in this probono initiative.
“This initiative is consistentwith
themissionof theFODQ,which
is topromoteaccess todental
healthcare for themost vulnerable
membersof society,” explains
Dr. PierreTessier, FODQpresident.
The
BoucheB
initiative relieson
its communitypartners to identify
eligiblecandidates. Regional
youthcentres inMontreal and the
province, FondationduDr Julien
(a social pediatricsorganization)
andFondationPASdans la rue (an
organizationhelpinghomeless
andnear-homeless adults)will
be referringpatients inneedof
urgent dental treatmentwho
otherwisecouldnot access care.
These individualswill receive free
dental services from local dentists
volunteering in theproject.
“Healthy teethareanessential
part of goodoverall health. It is
therefore important that those
inneedhaveaccess todental
healthcaredespite their financial
difficulties—toavertmore serious
problems thatwould result inhigh
costs for our healthcare system,”
addsDr. Tessier. “Weareproudof
theparticipationof our dentists
in thisproject andwehope it
will expand tomany regionsof
Quebec.”
a
Quebecdentistswhowant toparticipate
in the
BoucheB
initiativecan register at
Donner
lesourire
n'apas
deprix
L
isten
toa
CBC
interview
with
M
ayor
Y
ves
L
évesque
:
