The International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT) welcomes and strongly applauds the Indian Health Service (IHS) for its courageous and science-based decision to phase out mercury-containing dental amalgam in all its facilities by 2027.
This forward-thinking move protects vulnerable Native American and Alaska Native communities—particularly pregnant women, nursing mothers, children under six, and individuals with neurological or kidney conditions—from unnecessary mercury exposure.
The IHS phase out of mercury fillings aligns with the Minamata Convention on Mercury, which has announced an agreement to end the use of dental amalgam by 2034. This represents a historic milestone for protecting human health and the environment from mercury pollution.
Additionally, the IHS phase out aligns directly with the FDA’s explicit warnings for high-risk groups, the global mercury reduction goals of the Minamata Convention, and decades of rigorous scientific evidence documenting the bioaccumulative, neurotoxic risks of dental mercury vapor.
Dental amalgam fillings contain about 50% mercury and release mercury vapor continuously, even without chewing, brushing, grinding, or other stimulation. For many individuals, particularly those with multiple fillings, this ongoing release results in daily mercury vapor exposure that exceeds government safety thresholds, such as those established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
For years, the IAOMT has advocated for the complete elimination of dental amalgam—the predominant non-industrial source of mercury exposure—based on over 1,000 peer-reviewed studies showing unreasonable, direct, and substantial dangers to patients, dental staff (including fetuses and children). Our comprehensive position paper outlines clear protocols for a safe mercury amalgam removal technique (SMART) and promotes mercury-free, biocompatible dentistry as the ethical standard.
In stark contrast, the American Dental Association (ADA) responded to this landmark announcement with resistance rather than progress.
Their statement defends continued amalgam use based on “clinical judgment,” dismisses precautionary transitions to safer alternatives as “unwarranted,” and even suggests that replacing serviceable amalgam fillings solely to avoid mercury violates their own Code of Ethics.
This outdated stance prioritizes tradition and short-term cost over patient safety, environmental responsibility, and established scientific evidence of harm — which undermines public trust.
“The evidence is irrefutable—mercury amalgam fillings are a public health crisis, poisoning millions of Americans with unsafe levels of mercury,” said Dr. Douglas Green, President of the IAOMT. “We urgently call on the FDA to ban these harmful fillings in order to safeguard public health.”
The dental profession deserves better. Native communities and every patient deserve better. It’s time for the ADA to stop defending a toxic material that the rest of the world is phasing out and start following the lead of the IAOMT in the transition to mercury-free, mercury-safe dentistry.
The IHS is demonstrating true leadership by investing in training, infrastructure, and mercury-free materials to serve underserved populations equitably. The IAOMT stands ready to support this transition with evidence-based resources, safe removal training, and advocacy for broader adoption of mercury-free practices nationwide.
It’s time for organized dentistry to follow suit, stop defending a known neurotoxin, and prioritize prevention and “do no harm” for all patients.
IAOMT provides patients and dental professionals resources about biological dentistry as well as a directory of IAOMT biological dentists who are SMART certified.
Read more:
• IAOMT Position Paper on Dental Mercury Amalgam:
https://iaomt.org/iaomt-position-paper-dental-mercury-amalgam/
• IHS Official Announcement:
https://www.ihs.gov/newsroom/pressreleases/2026-press-releases/indian-health-service-to-end-use-of-mercury-containing-dental-amalgam-by-2027
• FDA Guidance on High-Risk Populations:
https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-issues-recommendations-certain-high-risk-groups-regarding-mercury-containing-dental-amalgam
• ADA Indian Health Service to end dental amalgam use by 2027:
https://adanews.ada.org/ada-news/2026/february/indian-health-service-to-end-dental-amalgam-use-by-2027/
• IAOMT Safe Mercury Amalgam Removal Technique (SMART):
https://iaomt.org/resources/safe-removal-amalgam-fillings/
#MercuryFreeDentistry #MercurySafeDentistry #BiologicalDentistry #IHSLeads #EndDentalMercury #IAOMT
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