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9|10 September 2016 · 9|10 września 2016 Science & Practice Nauka&Praktyka 6 www.fdiworldental.org T his morning, the FDI welcomes congress-goers to its 2016 land- mark World Oral Health Forum, titled “Are you ready for amalgam phase-down? How the Minamata Conventionimpactsyourdentalprac- tice”, in Pavilion 1. Worldental Daily had the opportunity to speak with session chairperson Prof. David Wil- liams, Vice-Chair of the FDI Science Committee, about the challenges and opportunitiesofthephase-downand determining appropriate responses. Worldental Daily: To date, 30 of 128 signatory countries to the 2013 Mi- namataConventiononMercuryhave ratified it. How long will it take for dentistry to leave the legacy of amal- gam behind? Prof. David Williams: It is emphati- cally not the case that the phase- down of amalgam use is a distant prospect. The convention will come into force when it has been ratified by 50 countries. It is likely that the current total of 30 will soon double when the European Union, currently comprising 28 countries, ratifies the convention and that will take the total to well over the 50 countries needed. Aside from this, a number of countries are in the process of introducing a total ban on environmental mercury forthwith, which would mean the immediate withdrawal of amalgam from use in those countries. Poland, like many developed coun- trieshas ratified the convention. Is amalgam already considered a thing of the past in these parts of the world? Amalgam use is declining in many high-income countries, but in low- and middle-income countries, where the burden of tooth decay is on the rise, there are currently no widely available, affordable alternatives. It is in these countries that the need for a satisfactory alternative to amalgam is greatest and this has long been a con- cern for the World Health Organiza- tion. The principal reason the Mina- mata Convention provides for the phase-down of amalgam use, rather than an outright ban, is to allow time to carry out the research needed to find good, safe alternatives to amal- gam. As I said in my answer to your first question, this is now a matter of urgency and the reason this issue is the focus of the World Oral Health Fo- rum. What can we learn from countries that have already implemented phase-down programmes for amal- gam? This is one of the topics that we will be considering during the World Oral Health Forum at the congress. It is im- portant to make the point that, while alternatives to amalgam exist and are in widespread use in high-income countries, there is still a high burden of untreated tooth decay in many of these countries among those who, for a mixture of reasons, do not visit their dentist on a regular basis. What alternative materials or tech- niques are available to dentists now- “We have a responsibility to find better, safer, affordable alternatives to dental amalgam” „Wszyscy jesteśmy odpowiedzialni za znajdowanie lepszych, bezpieczniejszych, a przy tym niedrogich rozwiązań alternatywnych wobec amalgamatu” | An interview with Prof. David Williams, UK | Wywiad z prof. Davidem Williamsem z Wielkiej Brytanii Interdentalcleaning forallneeds www.tepe.com AD160009INT TePe offers a wide range of options to facilitate daily interdental cleaning. The latest addition TePe EasyPick™ is flexible, efficient and easy to use. For samples please visit us in booth 7a.A11. AD160009INT NEW! AD |Prof. David Williams |Prof. David Williams