Money saved by scrapping flouride goes to dental care for poor

Calgary city council voted to take $750000 it saved from discontinuing the fluoridation of city drinking water and give it to two local charities in order to provide dental programs to children in poverty. The Alex Community Health Centre will receive $585000 while the Calgary Urban Project Society will receive $165000 to set up dental care for the city’s least fortunate children. The money is a one-time only cash windfall for the two organizations.

The Alex Community Health Centre will establish two mobile dental clinics to provide annual care to an estimated 12000 people under 18 years of age from low-income households. CUPS will use its funds to expand its existing dental care program which helps approximately 3000 children per year.

The two non-profits beat out proposals from Mosaic Primary Care Network the Burns Memorial Fund and three submissions for funding from Alberta Health Services.

Calgary opted to stop fluoridating its water in February 2011.

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