Water fluoridation in Victoria, Australia: the value of national research

Water fluoridation has become the centrepiece in dental caries prevention for the Australian population since its introduction in 1953 in Beaconsfield, Tasmania. With the notable exception until recently of Brisbane, residents of the state and territory capital cities have enjoyed the dental health benefits of this important public health initiative for at least 33 years. For many communities in rural and regional Australia, however, the introduction of water fluoridation has only commenced in relative recent years - if at all. These efforts in recent years have been greatly assisted by the research of Professor John Spencer and his colleagues at the Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health (ARCPOH). This paper highlights some major pieces of research conducted by ARCPOH and demonstrates the application of that research to the extension of water fluoridation in Victoria.