Florida Oral Health Alliance Responds to Governor Signing Law to Ban Fluoride in Florida’s Water

On May 15, 2025 Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law a ban on fluoride in Florida's public water systems. This announcement comes as Florida continues to deal with an ongoing oral health crisis, ranking 50th in the percentage of children receiving an annual dental visit in 2021. Despite this, policies that help improve oral health outcomes are being chipped away at the local and federal level. Several Florida cities have recently removed fluoride from their water systems and the U.S. Food & Drug Administration is seeking to remove prescription fluoride supplements for kids from the market. The CDC named fluoridation of drinking water one of 10 great public health interventions of the 20th century because of the dramatic decline in cavities since community water fluoridation started in 1945.

In response to Florida’s fluoride ban, Erica Craven, Oral Health Coalition Manager for the Florida Oral Health Alliance (FOHA) said:  

“As Florida’s Oral Health Alliance, we are disappointed about the decision to eliminate water fluoridation in our state, but we pledge to continue to support our communities, provide resources, and advocate for and alongside our most vulnerable populations to ensure everyone can get the dental care they need to maintain optimal oral health. 

Florida’s elected officials also failed to address the potential consequence of their decision – an increase in tooth decay, especially among low-income communities and the 7.1 million Floridians living in Dental Provider Shortage Areas. As FOHA looks for proactive ways to address this issue, we urge our legislators to support The SMILES Act. It would ensure comprehensive dental coverage for Medicaid enrollees and offer Medicaid providers a fair reimbursement.

There’s no doubt about it, banning fluoride from our waterways will impact our communities, especially those who already struggle to access dental care.”  

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The Florida Oral Health Alliance is a coalition of individuals and organizations committed to improving Florida's dental care system because every person deserves to thrive.