Press Release 015

For immediate release

BRITISH DENTAL ASSOCIATION IN BIG 'SWINDLE'

• BRITISH DENTAL ASSOCIATION 'SWINDLE' DENTAL HEALTH STATISTICS
• NEW 'SPOT THE DIFFERENCE' CAMPAIGN UNETHICAL AND GROSSLY MISLEADING

Begins:

There appears to be no end to the British Dental Association's (BDA) biased attempts to manipulate the opinions of those they are trying to influence.

A 'flyer' [1] put out by the BDA just a few weeks ago and prior to the second Parliamentary vote on fluoridation (as contained in the new Water Bill) contained a gross distortion of the truth.

'League tables' which pertained to show the level of decayed, missing and filled teeth (dmft) in each Parliamentary constituency contained data which was completely misleading. Regional averages were calculated and then used as examples for each constituency, rather than actually calculate exactly how much dmft was in each constituency. This is a blatant and bare-faced swindle.

The latest swindle by the BDA is to initiate a 'postcard campaign' [2] which again is using grossly misleading information. It is alleged that pictures of teeth from children living in Manchester and Birmingham are to be sent to members of the public in a crude and misleading 'spot the difference' campaign.

There are many factors which influence dental health and two of the most radically varying parts of the UK are Birmingham and Manchester.

IT IS A SIMPLE, CLEAR AND INDISPUTABLE FACT THAT CHILDREN FROM TWO DIVERSELY DIFFERENT REGIONAL POPULATIONS CANNOT BE COMPARED ACCURATELY. THE BDA ARE THEREFORE ACCUSED OF ATTEMPTING TO MISLEAD THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND SWINDLE DENTAL HEALTH STATISTICS.

THIS IS ALSO NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT THE BDA HAVE MISREPRESENTED THE TRUTH. THEY HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN ACCUSED BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SCIENTIFIC REVIEW OF WATER FLUORIDATION (Professor Sheldon, NHS Unit, York University) OF MISREPRESENTING THE FINDINGS OF THE REVIEW. [3]

In response to the BDA's wretched attempt to distort the truth about dental health in the UK, a new publication entitled "The Other Side of the Coin" is to be sent to all leading media. This publication will reveal some of the truths about dental health statistics which are usually withheld from the general public.

Ends.

References:

[1] BDA: Fluoride the facts

[2] fluoridation_findings_set_teeth.htm

Quote: "It is particularly worrying that statements that mislead the public . . . have been made by the British Dental Association [and] the British Medical Association," writes Sheldon in a letter to MPs.

[3] From today's (9-00am, 29th Sept. 2003) ITV Teletext service. Page 311.

PLEA FOR WATER FLUORIDATION.

A hard-hitting postcard campaign is being launched to increase support for adding fluoride to water supplies. The British Dental Association is calling on the public to send the Spot The Difference? card to MPs ahead of a crucial Commons vote on fluoridation. The postcard compares the rotting teeth of a child from Manchester, which does not add fluoride to water, with one from Birmingham, where it is added.