The Relentless School Nurse: When Fear Replaces Facts, Kids Suffer – The Truth About Fluoride

In a time when public health is under siege, from political agendas, misinformation, and deepening distrust, the voices of healthcare professionals are not just needed, they are essential. The Progressive Magazine recently published a timely OpEd by two powerhouse nurses and public health advocates, Donna Gaffney and Teri Mills. I fondly call Donna and Teri the OpEd Nurses because of their prolific writing partnership. Their latest piece offers clarity, compassion, and most importantly, facts, in defense of a public health measure that has protected millions of children for generations: water fluoridation.

As nurses, we are trained to follow the evidence. Gaffney and Mills do exactly that, but they also go a step further. They tell the story of community water fluoridation not just through data points, but through its real-life impact. For decades, this simple, safe, and science-backed intervention has helped reduce tooth decay, particularly in children and communities facing barriers to dental care. But now, that progress is at risk.

Fueled by conspiracy theories and high-profile misinformation campaigns from the abjectly unqualified HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., some communities are reversing course, stripping fluoride from their water systems and leaving vulnerable populations behind. Gaffney and Mills expose these efforts for what they are: dangerous distractions that place ideology over science and fear over facts.

Their message is urgent and clear: removing fluoride is not just a step backward, it’s a public health failure in the making. When we let misinformation dictate policy, we compromise the health of our communities, particularly the most marginalized. As frontline health professionals, we see the results of inequity every day. We cannot afford to stay silent.

This OpEd is more than an article, it’s a wake-up call. I urge my colleagues, public health advocates, and educators to read it, share it, and speak out. We must defend evidence-based practices like water fluoridation, not just in our school health offices, but in our city council meetings, on social media, and wherever policy decisions are being made.

Let’s follow the lead of Donna Gaffney and Teri Mills and use our collective voice to fight for science, equity, and the well-being of every child we serve.

We Can All Take Action:

• Read and share the RFK Jr. Is Dangerously Wrong on Fluoride.

• Talk to your local leaders about the importance of fluoride.

• Counter misinformation with evidence and empathy.

• Encourage your professional organizations to take a stand.

Because public health isn’t just an idea—it’s a responsibility we all share.

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Meet the OpEd Nurses: