General dentistry profession to set the record straight regarding restorative materials
On behalf of the Academy of General Dentistry’s (AGD) 35,000 members and their patients, AGD President-elect, Vincent C. Mayher, DMD, MAGD, will testify tomorrow in support of using dental amalgam as a viable option to treat dental decay. Dr. Mayher’s comments will be heard during the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Joint Meeting of the Dental Products Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee of the Center for Devices and Radiological Health and the Peripheral and Central Nervous System Drugs Advisory Committee of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.
“I’m pleased that the FDA will hold this hearing on dental amalgams,” said Dr. Mayher. “I plan to share our organization’s viewpoint regarding our profession’s responsibility to our patients to inform them that dental amalgam remains a safe and cost-effective option they can opt to use to treat dental decay, and that the decision to place an approved dental restorative material should be made by an educated consumer in consultation with their treating dentist.”
Numerous well-respected health organizations, including the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Public Health Service, the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as the FDA, have all in the past concluded that dental amalgam is safe to use. The AGD’s policy on dental amalgam also states the same conclusion.
“It’s imperative for this committee to understand that organized dentistry has conducted due diligence in joint efforts with health and scientific organizations with respect to using dental amalgam,” says Dr. Mayher. “The profession highly encourages use of products endorsed by the FDA and it’s important to understand that dental amalgam is the most thoroughly researched and tested restorative material among all other restorative materials used to treat dental decay.”
The Joint Meeting will be held September 6 and 7 at the Holiday Inn in Gaithersburg, Md. Dr. Mayher is scheduled to testify on the afternoon of September 6. Obtain a copy of Dr. Mayher’s testimony by e-mailing advocacy@agd.org.