Lessons from mercury dental amalgam phase down for developing economies

Abstract

This paper highlighted six pertinent issues that developing economies should focus on with regards to mercury dental amalgam phase down. The need to set up structures for monitoring and evaluation of materials and technologies used in clinics, laboratories and hospitals was discussed as well as the need to provide research data on mercury pollution that may be peculiar to developing economies. The urgent needs to update dental schools' curricula and update the training of general Dental practitioners were also discussed. Aframework for curriculum development, review and update was proposed using the Minimum Intervention Treatment Plan (MITP). Two other caries management pathways-the International Caries Classification and Management System Caries Management Pathway (ICCMS-CaMP) and the Caries Management by Risk Assessment (CAMBRA-CaMP) were also highlighted. A “frog-leaping' phase down approach was proposed that took cognizance of the poor infrastructure for waste management in developing economies. Opportunities for new oral health policy initiatives with regards to integration of oral health into national and international health agenda were also discussed. Keywords:Mercury, dental amalgam, phase down, lessons, curriculum update.