McDonald's dental clinic link angers nutritionists

Ronald McDonald, the symbol of the McDonald's fast-food chain, will be plastered over a mobile dental clinic that starts work next month.

Ronald McDonald House Charities, whose biggest donor is the restaurant chain, is sponsoring the truck-based children's clinic, to be run by the Northland District Health Board.

Public health campaigner Dr Robyn Toomath said she was appalled by the link between a children's dental service and soft drinks that cause tooth decay. "It's just absolutely brain dead if you ask me."

The Ronald McDonald Mobile Dental Programme will run from the Bay of Islands to the Hokianga Harbour. The area, without fluoridated water, is in a region with some of New Zealand's worst child tooth decay rates. The clown will feature on the outside of the truck, holding a toothbrush and toothpaste.

Dr Toomath, of the Fight the Obesity Epidemic, said the sponsorship and presence of the clown would encourage children to feel good about unhealthy foods and drinks.

"It sends the wrong message. Everyone has woken up to it as far as cigarettes are concerned, yet why they haven't woken up to the same kind of adverse influence from sponsorship in schools from McDonald's ... I do not know."

Her concerns echo the row over the McDonald's outlet which opened in the Starship children's hospital in 1997.

Under the dental sponsorship deal, the charity pays $750,000 over five years for the truck, dental equipment and some of the operating costs.

Health board chief executive Karyn McPeake defended the scheme, saying the deal was with the charity, not McDonald's.

When asked if the association with fast food presented a conflict, she said: "We are about encouraging people to make healthy choices. We will be encouraging them to eat foods and drink fluids that are healthy for them."

The truck, with two dental chairs, is expected to reach 2500 children in its first year and part of the programme will be urging them to clean their teeth. They will also be given public health leaflets, but it is unclear whether the clown will feature in them.

"We haven't finalised those arrangements at this time," said Ms McPeake.

Dental and public health leaders approached by the Herald welcomed the mobile service but some were concerned about the McDonald's link.

"I would much prefer to see funding from other sources not associated with ill health," said dentist Dr Callum Durward, president of the School and Community Dental Services Society.

But the mobile service was badly needed and its staff would advise against consuming excessive fast food and sugary drinks.

He said increased consumption of these drinks was a reason for the rising incidence of serious tooth decay in young children.

The charity's executive director, Sarah Hood, said it was independent of McDonald's. She could not comment on McDonald's foods, but was proud to be associated with the chain, "because we know all the proactive steps McDonald's are taking in the nutritional and health area".

McDonald's spokesman Liam Jeory said Dr Toomath was "cherry-picking" by focussing solely on soft drinks containing sugar, as the chain's outlets sold a range of drinks, including water.