This one-hour webinar, which is part of the Hot Topics series, reviews messaging strategies for hot-button issues like vaccines, climate change and fluoridation.
Learning Objectives
- Recall what recent dental health data reveal about the impacts of ceasing community-level fluoridation programs.
- Recognize how critics of fluoridation, vaccinations, and other contentious public health issues misrepresent the purpose and findings of scientific reports.
- Understand how to provide crucial facts that shape the public’s understanding of relevant risks, data and disease impacts.
- Understand techniques for choosing effective visuals for fact sheets, social media and other communication tools.
Intended Audiences
Local, state, and tribal public health professionals; oral health advocates; city and county administrators and other elected officials; health communicators and health promotion specialists
Presenters
Johnny Johnson, DMD, MS, pediatric dentist and president of the American Fluoridation Society
Matthew Jacob, BA, communications and social marketing consultant
Discussion Questions
- What kind of dental health data do you have in your county, city or state for monitoring changes in oral health outcomes?
- Why is dental fluorosis a topic that can be easily misused to generate fear or confusion about fluoride and fluoridation?
- Does your department or organization use jargon or other scientific terms that are not easily understood by lay audiences?
- How can you share public health data in ways that provide context and relevance to your communities?
- To what extent are you using analogies to put risk concerns or other issues in a context that enhances community understanding of the issue?
Slides and Resources
Air Date:
Monday, February 2, 2015, 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm PST
Topics:
Communication
Format:
Webinar
Duration:
1 hour
Cost:
Free
Series:
Hot Topics in Practice
Competency Domains:
Communication Skills