My Story

"You have a moral obligation  to tell the truth." Those words propelled me into this fluoridation fiasco so many bruised and battered years ago after I handed in a Pro/Con fluoridation paper to satisfy a Journalism 101 college class requirement. My professor said "You have a moral obligation to tell the truth," and that I had to investigate it further to take a side.  So I did.  I wrote, called and/or visited at least a hundred or more government agencies, health and water departments, legislators, researchers, the media, and Judge Flaherty who, in 1978, with a science background, presided over a Pennsylvania court case where fluoridationists were forced to tell the truth, under oath, and subjected to cross examination.  His ruling: "...the addition of sodium fluoride to the public water supply at one part per million is extremely deleterious to the human body..." When called, a New York State Department of Health official said the case was thrown out of court for lack of evidence. "Is this so" I wrote the Judge again.  Flaherty wrote to me that the NYS DOH official uttered a "mistruth."  Fluoridation couldn't be stopped by a judicial order - only a legislative one. The merits of the case stand. That's when I first learned, that government agencies lie to us. And they continue to lie. And continue to fudge the scientific truth, even today. Casey Hannan, former Director of the CDC’s Oral Health Division testified, while under oath in a federal fluoride lawsuit against the EPA, that the CDC is unable to cite studies showing fluoride is effective when swallowed. See video  and he is unaware of any evidence of fluoride’s benefit to infants. (This is important because emerging science shows fluoride is a neurotoxin for babies' developing brains) Fluoridationists invariably sent me a Consumers Reports' magazine article (with no byline) published by Consumers Union which looked suspiciously like a similar article written by a fluoridationist in a dental publication.  I wrote the Consumers Union Board of Directors about this apparent plagiarism, detailed the similarities; but no one seemed to care. This despite Consumers Union's inhouse fluoride expert, Edward Groth, Phd, report that fluoridation was adopted more by politicking than by science  I also received many (too many!) copies of Stephen Barrett's crazy name-calling article identifying us as "poison mongers," although it is he who peddles the poison (the dictionary definition of poison monger). It was probably from a chapter in this book, "The Health Robbers." Often dismissed or ignored, calls never returned, legislators who wouldn't come to the phone or their outer offices to speak to me, I was mostly sent glossy PR stuff and little, if any, science and encouraged to blindly trust the professionals. A Newsday reporter put me on speaker phone and laughingly accused me of being with the John Birch Society (who were they?). The New York Daily News editorialized that Levittowners' teeth would rot because of me when I headed the Levittown Safe Water Association which successfully stopped 29 years of fluoridation in 1983. "A Bad Bite," April 16, 1983 But those opposed to fluoridation were easy to reach, answered all my suspicious questions, and sent me anything I asked for, explained what I didn't know and were extremely kind people, to boot. No one was making money off of this. In fact, it actually cost them money.  The New York State Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation (NYSCOF) guided me to be diplomatic, respectful, non-inflammatory and above all to be absolutely accurate in what I say and do. Now convinced ingesting fluoride was unhealthy for my two small children, I had to get fluoride out of Levittown's water. As an idealist who knew almost nothing about politics, and probably being naive, I didn't know that what I was about to do was "impossible."  So when my Town Council didn't welcome my information with open arms, I was really surprised - just as Dr. Paul Connett and many others were when they first approached their legislative bodies with sound science to stop fluoridation So, with enormous help from NYSCOF we began to gather citizen support.  As far as politicians are concerned numbers work when science doesn't. It started with petitioning house to house, at malls and anywhere else people would congregate and letters to our Town Board.  Finally, then presiding supervisor Tom Gulotta created a Citizens Advisory Committee on fluoridation with 7 people for and 7 against fluoridation to decide the issue; but didn't. We came out the way we went in - evenly divided. The pro side was all dentists except one. The only science they shared was an old Tasmanian study. They didn't bother to read or refute our information.  It was then decided that Levittown water customers would make the decision. But that meant a huge educational campaign for us.  Most people didn't know fluoride was in the water or, if they did, thought it was to purify the water.  So a town effort began. Karl the artist created the flyers.  Joan owned the printing store that made the flyers.  Mary called the people, whose names were on the petitions, asking for donations for advertisements, bumper stickers and stamps. The two Pat's, Joanne and others went door to door delivering flyers.  Three Carol's ran the Levittown Safe Water Association.  Joy, Evelyn, Paul and Dr. Carlton spoke before many Levittown groups.  We wore "Stop Fluoridation" sweatshirts to the 50's dance with Barbara and Annette. Our state legislator sent a pro and con piece to every house in Levittown.  Our kids made posters. Eleanor Krinsky was our backbone and mentor. Although the weekly Levittown Tribune instigated fluoridation in 1954, it was hugely helpful in presenting our side of the issue, mostly unreported by the daily newspaper, Newsday. The vote went 2 to 1 in our favor and fluoridation stopped in April 1983.  I stood beside Presiding Supervisor Tom Gulotta as he ceremoniously turned off the fluoride machine. Because of fluoridation, I switched my major to biology with a minor in journalism because I thought the media didn't understand science; but I could help them out. (HA!) At NYU's Science and Environmental Reporting Masters' Program (SERP now SHERP), I was shocked when one of the first texts given to me was a Quackbuster book replete with Stephen Barrett's insulting and unscientific rant "Don't Let the Poisonmongers Scare You."  Also, when a New York Post editor was a guest speaker, I asked what kind of fluoridation article she would accept (i.e. deaths, accidents, overdose, science).  She said none. Further,  anyone submitting such a story would never ever get published by her on any subject.  As recommended by NYU's SERP Director at the time, I contacted the ultra-liberal NY Village Voice, known for its controversial articles, but they also wouldn't publish a fluoridation story from someone who opposes fluoridation. (Note: The current Director of NYU's Science, Health and  Environmental Reporting Program (SHERP), Dan Fagin, is author of the excellent Jan 2008 Scientific American article, "Second Thoughts About Fluoride."  I never met Dan.) When I first went online in 1995, the whole world opened to me.  I haven't looked back since. There are no editors, advertisers, dentists or old stale beliefs to stop me from getting the truth to the people. When asked why he didn't cover fluoridation, a TV reporter told me our leaders weren't credible.  Dr. Connett and FAN (Fluoride Action Network) filled that vacuum. FAN, and the Connett family especially (Ellen, Paul and their son Michael), have been  incredible assets which has infused this issue with more respect, more professionalism,  more exposure, more positive media attention and many more victories! Michael Connett went from studying and publishing all the science on FAN's website to going to law school, passing the bar in two states and went on the beat the EPA in a federal lawsuit. Michael caught the attention of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. who infamously said fluoridation would stop under the Trump administration. (It's still a work in progress)  The  media attention really took off - mostly vilifying Kennedy, but Americans are now seeing thru the subterfuge. Two states, Utah and Florida, stopped fluoridation along with hundreds of municipalities who aren't waiting until the government catches up on the science.  Back in the 1980s, our side wasn't even mentioned.  We had to put on a pony show to get into the papers by, for example, protesting, picketing or having an organized run against fluoridation.  Journalists thought  themselves so clever by using dialogue from a fiction movie (Dr. Strangelove) in their stories.  We wished they spent more time in science class instead of at the movies. FAN's presence on the internet has allowed today's googling journalists and legislators to find our scientific information easily and, with little effort, connect them with professionals whom they can quote in their articles or invite to their meetings. A click of the mouse leads them to the science that fluoridationists say doesn't exist.  While NYSCOF does issue our own news releases, they would be inconsequential if we didn't have the FAN science to link to and FAN's professionals to support us. In the 1980's fluoridation hearings were held in New York City where experts from all over the country came to testify.  The legislator who set it up said he would back away if we didn't engage the media.  The media ignored us, he dropped the issue and nothing happened.  I'm often asked why I do this. There is so much wrong in the world and so little I can do about it.  Fluoridation is what I know best and where I can actually effect change.  Besides, it simply feels right.  And they can't hurt me like they have to working professionals Carol Kopf, BS, MA (originally written January 2012; Updated a little March 5, 2026)