As you may know, Tennessee Senate Bill 162 (SB 162) recently died in the Senate Energy, Agriculture, and Natural Resources Committee—a measure that would have prohibited public water system operators from adding fluoride to the water supply.
SB 162 was defeated after a single committee member voted against it, effectively killing the bill. The Tennessee Dental Hygienists’ Association (TN DHA) was elated that Community Water Fluoridation (CWF) will continue in the state and that the many dental‑desert communities in Tennessee will retain access to fluoridated water.
However, several other pieces of legislation that threaten to prohibit or severely restrict water fluoridation are still actively being considered by the legislature. The fact that these bills remain active—and that SB 162 only failed because one individual changed their vote—strongly suggests that the legislature remains highly interested in ending CWF statewide.
The five anti‑CWF bills still under consideration are:
HB 898 – Requires each utility system to obtain a certificate of analysis for any water containing fluoride and post both the certificate and the material safety data sheet online.
HB 2396 – Prohibits public water systems from adding fluoride to their water.
HB 2471 – Known as the “Tennessee Fluoride Free Water Act,” prohibiting water fluoridation, banning the sale of bottled water with added fluoride, and requiring specific actions when naturally occurring fluoride exceeds certain levels.
SB 2304 – Mirrors HB 2471, also prohibiting water fluoridation and banning bottled water containing added fluoride.
SB 1142 – The furthest advancing anti‑CWF bill, recently passing the Senate 26–5. It would require each utility to obtain a fluoride certificate of analysis and post it online along with the material safety data sheet.
TN DHA and ADHA are asking members to reach out to their legislators and continue advocating against these bills. Take action now—it takes just one minute to submit a pre‑filled message to your specific legislator urging them to vote against these measures and protect Community Water Fluoridation in Tennessee.
Take Action now!
-TN DHA & ADHA Leaders