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THE SENATE                           S.C.R. NO.            
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                    SENATE  CONCURRENT
                        RESOLUTION

  URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO COMMUNICATE TO THE GENERAL
    PUBLIC CONCERNING THE IMPORTANCE OF AND HOW TO MAINTAIN
    PROPER DENTAL HEALTH AND HYGIENE INSTEAD OF RELYING ON
    WATER FLUORIDATION.
 


 1        WHEREAS, the issue of water fluoridation has been
 2   considered by the legislature in the 2000 Regular Session; and
 3   
 4        WHEREAS, water fluoridation is a supplementation of but
 5   not a replacement for proper dental hygiene; and
 6   
 7        WHEREAS, with proper dental hygiene, including a proper
 8   diet, tooth decay and dental disease could be eliminated or
 9   controlled so that water fluoridation would not be necessary;
10   and
11   
12        WHEREAS, members of the general public may be ignorant of
13   or have forgotten the fundamental rudiments of maintaining
14   proper dental hygiene, such as brushing, flossing, and rinsing;
15   and
16   
17        WHEREAS, the Department of Health has jurisdiction over
18   dental health matters; and
19   
20        WHEREAS, education of the public on proper dental health
21   and dental hygiene is necessary for adults, children, and
22   elders; and
23   
24        WHEREAS, the Department of Health should undertake to
25   educate the public about proper dental health and dental
26   hygiene; and
27   
28        WHEREAS, the Department of Health could, for example,
29   undertake a mass advertising campaign, hold community meetings,
30   or enlist the volunteer help of Hawaii's dentists and dental
31   hygienists to spread the word to the general public about the
32   importance of proper dental health and dental hygiene; and
33   

 
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                                  S.C.R. NO.            
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1        WHEREAS, the Department of Education could make one hour
 2   available during one school day in each semester for the
 3   students to listen to a presentation on proper dental health
 4   and dental hygiene from a dentist, dental hygienist, or a
 5   representative from the Department of Health; now, therefore,
 6        
 7        BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twentieth Legislature
 8   of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2000, the House of
 9   Representatives concurring, that the Department of Health is
10   urged to to communicate to the general public about the
11   importance of and how to maintain proper dental health and
12   dental hygiene instead of relying on water fluoridation; and
13   
14        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the dentists in Hawaii are
15   requested to assist the Department of Health and to volunteer
16   their time and expertise in communicating to the public, in
17   whatever manner appropriate and efficacious, about the
18   importance of and how to maintain proper dental health and
19   dental hygiene instead of relying on water fluoridation; and
20   
21        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
22   Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Health,
23   Hawaii Dental Association, and Board of Education. 
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27                         OFFERED BY:  ____________________________