Journal of the Louisiana Dental Association

LDAexecutive directorWard Blackwell, M.J., Executive Director, LDA“Tap Into a Healthier Smile” is the theme for theLDA’s new public affairs campaign to broaden public,media and governmental awareness of the benefits ofcommunity water fluoridation and lay the groundworkfor passing legislation in 2008 that could bringfluoridated water to virtually everyone in Louisiana.The campaign is a partnership with the ADA andpart of the State-Based Public Affairs Program initiatedby the ADA earlier this year. With ADA funding, theLDA has hired a leading Louisiana communicationsfirm, Creative Communications, Inc. (CCI) from BatonRouge, to direct the public relations aspects of theproject. We’ve also engaged our lobbying firm, RoedelParsons, et al, in a new, separate contract to handle thecampaign’s governmental relations aspects.One of CCI’s initial actions will be to conduct focusgroups, as well as statewide opinion polls to compiledata that we expect will confirm public support forfluoridation. In addition, LDA and CCI distributedcandidate questionnaires during the recent electionperiod to get potential lawmakers to begin thinking offluoridated water as a health care solution. Thequestionnaire also offered facts regarding fluoridationand is proving to be a valuable tool to help distinguishwhich new leaders are more likely to be receptive to thecampaign.As noted by Claire Rivette, director of governmentalrelations for CCI and communications director of thecampaign, “There has been great turnover in thelegislature, and it is probably safe to say that a majorityof legislators are not acquainted with our issue. We planto take advantage of this opportunity to educate ournew leaders and give them meaningful, practical reformsto enact during their first terms in office. Plus,Governor-elect Jindal has long supported preventivehealth care initiatives.”In addition, the team is working with a vast networkof non-governmental groups that have an interest(positively and, perhaps, negatively) in this project. CCILDA Urges Louisiana to“Tap Into a Healthier Smile!”made a presentation to LABI’s Health Care Task Forceand asked the organization to support a positionstatement in favor of our position.However, not all groups will be as receptive. That iswhy LDA members and other dental professionalsthroughout Louisiana will be invaluable sources of help.According to Rivette, “We hope to work with theLDA to establish a ‘Speaker’s Bureau’ of localactivists/dentists who can speak about the issues to localcivic groups. In addition, we’ll ask our partners toparticipate in a grassroots/grasstops campaign of letterwriting to media and key elected officials. We also hopeto book them on local television morning shows, radiotalk shows and meetings with editorial boards of localnewspapers.”Furthermore, the Department of Health andHospitals (DHH) has agreed to fund radio and TVpublic service announcements (PSAs) that will runacross the state during the first quarter of 2008 and beproduced by our team (DHH gets final approval ofcontent). The PSAs will refer viewers/listeners to a Website that can be accessed for additional information onfluoridation.The multi-faceted nature of the campaign makes fora big job that has only just begun, but the stage appearsto be set for possible success. The LDA slogan “Tap Intoa Healthier Smile!” is already getting positive response.And as Rivette observed, “The time seems right,politically and economically, for Louisiana to make thisdecision, and we have a great team of politicalprofessionals, communications experts and dentists whocan spread the good word. If our leaders are seriousabout improving health care in our state, the LDA’sstrategy to fluoridate all the water systems in the stateoffers the easiest, most cost-effective way to save moneyand see quick results.”So, be on the lookout for information and updatesabout this exciting LDA initiative. Your support is vitaland appreciated.16 LDA Journal