As a newly appointed dental director for the West County Health Centers in Sebastopol, Dr. David Thai recognized the need to reduce his patients’ dependence on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) to improve their overall and oral health outcomes. Dr. Thai initially believed that promoting tap water would be an easy, convenient way for his patients to stay hydrated and avoid SSB consumption. However, he soon discovered the situation was more complex. His staff informed him that community members disliked the appearance and taste of the tap water. He wanted to learn more about water quality and what he could do to increase water consumption among his patients and the broader community.
In 2022, Dr. Thai moved to Sonoma’s West County of Sebastopol, a rural community with a large, underserved population, to be the West County Health Center Clinic’s dental director. A year later, he joined the Champion Provider Fellowship while also opening an additional dental clinic in Guerneville, further expanding access to oral health in West County. Through the Fellowship, he built a relationship with the Sonoma County Health Department (SonomaDHS) CalFresh Healthy Living and Oral Health programs, and this partnership helped him gain a better understanding of how SSBs contribute to cavities and are linked to chronic illnesses such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. This awareness, combined with insights gained from the Fellowship about the power of policy, systems, and environmental change, motivated him to collaborate with Sonoma-DHS to investigate why Guerneville residents were reluctant to drink tap water and explore ways to increase consumption. The first step was research. The Sonoma-DHS team connected Dr. Thai with Dr. Lauren Gritzer, a dental public health resident at the University of California, San Francisco, who developed a survey tool to identify why Guerneville residents avoided drinking tap water. Dr. Gritzer led the survey design, data analysis, and interpretation of the results, which culminated in a comprehensive report. The findings revealed that negative perceptions of tap water quality drove Guerneville residents to rely on bottled water and SSBs. Though the water is reported safe by Sonoma Water, survey respondents noted that the water from their tap looked “muddy” and “didn’t taste good.” The report concluded with targeted recommendations on how to address these concerns. Additionally, the Sonoma-DHS team proposed expanding their filtered water bottle filling station project to locations like Guerneville to promote water consumption.
"If there’s one thing I’ve learned in the last two years — if you want to go fast, you go alone; but if you want to go far, you go together. My time with the Champion Provider Fellowship gave me the confidence to ask for a seat at the table. I have connected with many people who are just as passionate about helping others."
Dr. David Thai, Sonoma, Dentist
Armed with the report and recommendations, Dr. Thai delivered presentations to raise awareness about the importance and benefits of drinking water, while affirming safe consumption of the local water supply. One of his key presentations was to the Russian River Area Resources and Advocates (RRARA), a group leading place based efforts to create a healthier environment for the lower Russian River Area. He gained the support of RRARA to install a filtered water bottle filling station in an upcoming community park in Guerneville and built a relationship with Sonoma County Regional Parks. From the initial presentation, additional meetings and collaborations across Sonoma County followed, including partnerships with Zero Waste Sonoma, Sonoma County Transit, and the director of community initiatives for County Supervisor Lynda Hopkins, which resulted in support and funding to install and maintain a filtered water bottle filling station at Guerneville’s City Plaza Center bus stop, a high-traffic area for school aged children and tourists. Sonoma County Transit has committed to support the installation and provide free water at the bus stop while Zero Waste Sonoma has provided funding for installation and is working with Dr. Thai in collaboration with other organizations on maintaining the station and replacing the filter.
The new filtered water bottle filling station is set to be warmly welcomed by the community, providing free, accessible, and environmentally friendly water that tastes good. This new filtered water bottle filling station will have a meter installed to measure water usage, allowing reduced plastic bottle waste to be tracked. Dr. Thai and his partners who have stemmed from the Fellowship program aim to continue to increase water consumption in rural Sonoma County by identifying future locations that can benefit from a filtered water bottle filling station.
