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Shared Outcome to VDH

% of population served by community public water systems that have fluoridated water

Current Value

57%

2023

Definition

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Story Behind the Curve

Last Updated: August 2023

Author: Office of Oral Health, Vermont Department of Health

This measure tracks the percentage of the population on public water systems who benefit from fluoridated water. 56% of Vermont residents who get their water from a public water system are currently served by systems with fluoridated water; this is well below the national Healthy People 2030 target of 77.1%. In fact, Vermont ranks 41 out of 50 when it comes this percentage (CDC, 2018). The percentage of the population served by fluoridated water systems has stayed consistent since 2011. Slight changes are due to changes in population size, not the number of optimally fluoridated public water systems.

Populations with 1000 people or more with adequate infrastructure are areas to promote and support community water fluoridation. The Vermont Department of Health supports communities’ efforts to consider fluoridating their community water and to maintain fluoridation. The Health Department also provides technical assistance and fluoridation equipment to fluoridating systems.

Why Is This Important?

Community water fluoridation is a Healthy People 2030 objective, a State Health Improvement Plan strategy (pg. 7), and a State Oral Health Plan activity (pg. 29). Drinking fluoridated water is a safe and effective way to prevent tooth decay in adults and children. Fluoridation is one of the most practical, cost-effective, and equitable public health measures communities can take to prevent tooth decay and improve oral health. Community water fluoridation is recognized by the CDC as one of the 10 great public health achievements of the twentieth century and has been supported by every Surgeon General since the 1950’s.

Partners

What Works

Community Water Fluoridation (CWF) is a priority topic in our State Oral Health Plan, see CWF activities on page 29.

Strategy

The Office of Oral Health will work with partners to:

educate, support, and assist communities on the importance of community water fluoridation for better oral health for Vermonters.
work closely with communities, Oral Health Coalitions, and water operators to provide technical equipment assistance and operational support.
ensure adequate infrastructure within the Vermont Department of Health to continue to support community water fluoridation.
continue our collaboration with Vermont Rural Water Association to provide education and training for water operators and the Department of Environmental Conservation for guidance and water regulations on community water fluoridation.
continue our statewide tracking, monitoring and surveillance system for fluoride concentration levels of each public water system and support CDC’s national database reporting system on fluoridation.

Notes on Methodology

The Water Fluoridation Reporting System (WFRS) is an online tool that helps states manage the quality of their water fluoridation programs. The information is also used as the basis for national surveillance reports that describe the percentage of the U.S. population on community water systems who receive 0.70 ppm optimally fluoridated drinking water. This system was developed by CDC in partnership with the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD). WFRS monitors the number and quality of water fluoridation systems, as well as the state population on public water supply systems. The population-served data is updated every even-numbered year.

To view more detail about the CDC’s WFRS, please see the CDC's Water Fluoridation Reporting System webpage.

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