Setting the pathway for the phase down of dental amalgam

One of the most important questions for dentistry over the next decade in the UK and across the globe is the future reduction in amalgam usage.  In mid-July over 50 senior oral health leaders met at King’s College London’s Dental Institute to agree consensus on pathways for reduction of amalgam usage that are common for the UK and in developing countries, along with a set of priorities and challenges differentiated at the national (UK) level. 

The intensive, multi-day conference was led by Professor Dianne Rekow, executive dean of the Dental Institute, and Julian Fisher, resource person for the UN Environmental Programme Global Mercury Partnership Area on Waste Management. The event was co-hosted by University of Leeds School of Dentistry and Newcastle University School of Dental Sciences, and endorsed by the UK Dental Schools Council. It brought together UN agencies, dental policy makers, national chief dental officers, representatives from NGOs, and members of the clinical and academic communities, who worked together to plan a clear pathway for the phase down of dental amalgam.