A leaked draft of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” strategy is drawing sharp reaction in Dallas, where anti-fluoride activists say the plan falls short of its promises.
The document, first reported by Politico, directs federal agencies to “update recommendations regarding fluoride in water,” a shift that critics and supporters alike have been watching closely since a federal judge ruled last year that water fluoridation posed an “unreasonable risk” to human health.
Dr. Griffin Cole, DDS, NMD, MIAOMT, and past president of the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology, told The Dallas Express via email that the draft represents a retreat from Kennedy’s earlier pledge to end fluoridation outright.
“First, I’m disappointed that HHS Secretary Kennedy has moved from ‘we’re ending fluoridation on Day 1’ to ‘let’s commission the CDC and USDA to educate Americans on the appropriate levels of fluoride after getting input from the EPA,’” Cole said. “The EPA has proven itself unfit and, in my humble opinion, unqualified to make any policy decisions on water fluoridation.”
Cole also questioned whether the CDC should even be tasked with fluoride oversight. “The CDC no longer even has an Oral Health Division, so how are they in a position to lead on this issue?” he asked.
Cole pointed to risks that he said include “brain impairments in children,” thyroid and kidney damage, and even cancer. He noted that fluoride supplements are still prescribed to children despite not being approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Local activists echoed his concerns.
Regina Imburgia, a longtime Dallas organizer against water fluoridation, said the only acceptable level is none.
“Zero is the acceptable level of contaminated HFS (Hydrofluorosilicic Acid) to be added to our tap water to raise the Fluoride level,” Imburgia told The Dallas Express. “The mayor and Dallas City Council keep allocating funds to keep the fluoridation program going, ignoring the risks.”
Dallas has spent about $500,000 annually on fluoridation for 2.6 million consumers, according to city records. A December 2024 investigation by The Dallas Express found that water treatment plants at times overshot the recommended federal fluoride level of 0.7 milligrams per liter, bringing the city’s supply close to the 1.5 mg/L threshold the World Health Organization considers safe.
Nationally, the leaked MAHA draft has divided Kennedy’s allies.
“You have people on both sides of the report … but the truth is that the milestones that Bobby [Kennedy] has accomplished … [And the MAHA movement] have accomplished are here and are picking up steam,” Gary Brecka, Chairman of MAHA Action, said during an interview with Steve Bannon on Bannon’s War Room podcast.
Bannon said the media narrative that Kennedy’s team had “blinked” on the MAHA report was coming from “big pharma, big Ag, who want to disembowel Bobby Kennedy.”
Nevertheless, some MAHA allies welcomed new attention to fluoride oversight, while others accused the health secretary of sidelining COVID-era controversies and failing to pursue stronger measures against vaccines, DX reported.
Other public health institutions defend water fluoridation. Johns Hopkins University published last year a Q&A with Dr. Charlotte Lewis, a pediatrician at Seattle Children’s Hospital, who called water fluoridation “one of the 20th century’s greatest public health achievements.” Lewis’ language was identical to the language currently in use on the CDC website.
Lewis argued that research has not shown a link between recommended fluoride levels in U.S. water and long-term health risks. She warned that removing fluoride could worsen dental disparities, particularly among children.
While some health literature from the Cleveland Clinic indicates that the direct application of fluoride to the teeth can help remineralize tooth enamel, there is little evidence that consuming fluoride helps human teeth.
For activists in Dallas, the leaked draft leaves more questions than answers. Cole said the plan risks recycling “old dogma that is not based in science,” while Imburgia argued the city is ignoring mounting evidence.
Whether Kennedy’s commission will adopt the draft in its current form — or harden its stance on fluoridation — remains unclear. For now, Dallas activists say they will keep pressing city officials to abandon the practice.