Att. 2d Respondent Reminders

Follow-up email and phone script to remind states to submit data

Reminder email

Date:	Month Day, Year
To:	State Dental Directors State Drinking Water Administrators State Fluoridation Specialists
From:	Name, National Fluoridation Engineer
	CDC Division of Oral Health

Re: Reminder for submitting <fluoridation status and population data> or <fluoride testing data>

Dear Colleagues,

This is a reminder that <State> has been invited to participate in the annual data collection to <update your state community water systems’ fluoridation status and service population> or <enter fluoride level testing data for your state’s adjusted water systems>. Please refer to the email dated <Month, Day, Year> for the information on this data request.

Your participation is very important to ensure accuracy and timeliness of the community water fluoridation surveillance at the national, state and local levels (www.cdc.gov/fluoridation). This data request is also intended to reduce the burden on states to monitor and improve their community water fluoridation programs.

If you have submitted this data request already, please disregard this reminder.

If you have questions or need assistance, please contact <name>, CDC National Fluoridation Engineer, at [email protected] or by phone at (xxx) xxx-xxxx.

Thank you for your participation.

Sincerely,

Division of Oral Health

National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

www.cdc.gov/oralhealth

Reminder phone script

CDC:  Hi, this is the fluoridation engineer <Name> at CDC.  I would like to remind you of a data request we emailed you on <Month Day> to invite your state to participate in the national oral health surveillance by <updating the fluoridation status of your PWS and corresponding service populations> or <collecting fluoride level testing data>. Who is the best person to speak to on this matter?

State:  <Identifies the appropriate person and transfers as necessary>

CDC: Your state participation is very important. The data help your state program identify communities without beneficial fluoride exposure and better allocate resources and assistance for developing targeted oral health strategies and programs. It also helps your state program monitor operational fluoride levels of adjusted PWS to ensure the drinking water is beneficially fluoridated.

CDC: < Repeats above as necessary.>

CDC (for fluoridation status and population data):  In order to reduce the time and effort, we attached a discrepancy data report and instructions to our <Month Day> email data request. We hope you validate and update the data for 20xx by <Month Day> to ensure the accuracy and timeliness of the national fluoridation surveillance reports. Do you have questions or concerns about how to do this, or need another copy?

CDC (for fluoride level testing data):  In order to assist states retrieve operational data from PWS, the fluoridation quality awards have been demonstrated to be an important incentive for states and their PWS. They covet those awards and work to improve their operation to become eligible. We hope you enter the available data for 20xx by <Month Day> to ensure all eligible PWS can be recognized. Do you have questions or concerns about how to do this?

State: Yes

CDC: CDC provides technical assistance. Use of the CDC Water Fluoridation Reporting System, or WFRS, has been found to be a key tool for state programs to collect the data. <Sets up a time/date>

State: No

CDC: Great. Can we expect your participation to share 20xx data?

End:  Thank you for your time. Fluoride in drinking water is essential for public health and prevents chronic disease.