Iowa communities can now apply for grants to help them start putting fluoride in their water supplies or upgrade their existing fluoridation systems.
Ten communities a year are chosen for grants of $6,000 each, according to a report by Radio Iowa.
About 83% of all Iowans now have access to fluoridated water, but some communities need to repair or update their fluoridation equipment, the story noted.
For most cities, every dollar invested in water fluoridation saves $38 in dental treatment costs, according to Bob Russell, DDS, MPH, dental director for the Iowa Department of Public Health.
The department collaborated with the Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation to create the Community Fluoridation Award.
