09 December 2021

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IAOMT expands access to mercury safety course

Katherine E. Pfaff

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The mercury safety course offered by the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT) is now accessible to more dental professionals. The course has been made available in English, Spanish, French, Japanese, and Portuguese. The course was also made available through an online platform. 

IAOMT’s course instructs dentists on methods to decrease exposure to mercury from patients who have amalgam fillings. The fillings typically include mercury at a concentration of 50%. Through the organization’s course, called Safe Mercury Amalgam Remove Technique or SMART, the student can learn of steps to reduce potential exposure to patients and dental and office personnel during filling removal, and environmental exposure with disposal. 

The course is made up of video tutorials, peer-reviewed articles, and resources. "This is a landmark moment for dentistry," explains David Edwards, DMD, president of IAOMT. "Mercury-containing, silver-colored dental fillings have been used since the 1800s and are still being used today. However, the nations of the world recently agreed to reduce mercury use with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)'s Minamata Treaty on Mercury. So, it's clearly time for dentists to learn these crucial, up-to-date practices for mercury safety."

Source: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mercury-safety-course-for-dentists-launched-in-multiple-languages-301429222.html