Action needed on dental amalgam phase-out in Southeast Asia

Dental Tribune International

Wed. 12. August 2026

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BANGKOK, Thailand: The World Health Organization (WHO) is supporting stronger cooperation between health and environmental authorities to accelerate the phase-out of dental amalgam across the WHO South-East Asia Region. The initiative follows a landmark decision adopted in 2025 at the sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury to phase out dental amalgam globally by 2034. However, the region has made limited progress in phasing out its use.

The call for action came at a two-day regional workshop in Bangkok, where health and environmental policymakers, technical experts and other stakeholders focused on translating commitments under the convention into action. Discussions addressed policy reform, financing, workforce development, supply chains and the environmentally sound management of amalgam waste.

The shift towards safer and more environmentally friendly dental restorative materials forms part of a broader transformation of oral healthcare set out in WHO’s Global Oral Health Action Plan (2023–2030) and corresponding regional frameworks, such as WHO’s regional Action Plan for Oral Health in South-East Asia 2022–2030.

These frameworks promote prevention-oriented, minimally invasive and people-centred oral healthcare integrated into primary healthcare and universal health coverage, as well as expanded access to safe and effective mercury-free restorative materials. The global action plan sets a target for 90% of countries to have introduced measures to phase down or completely phase out dental amalgam by 2030. However, at the 2024 baseline, only 19% of countries in the WHO South-East Asia Region had achieved this target, compared with 31% globally.

Addressing workshop attendees, Dr Catharina Boehme, officer-in-charge of the WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia, said that the phase-out offered an opportunity to protect human health and the environment and to advance more sustainable oral healthcare. She emphasised that cross-sector cooperation would be essential to maintaining access to effective care during the transition.

Thailand demonstrates practical pathways

The regional meeting formed part of the GEF-7 Phasing Down Dental Amalgam Project, funded by the Global Environment Facility. Running from 2023 to 2026, the project aims to help countries meet their obligations under the Minamata Convention and improve the management of mercury-containing dental waste.

Thailand, one of the project’s three pilot countries, has reported a measurable reduction in dental amalgam use. According to a WHO press release, the country has achieved this through prevention-focused oral health policies, increased adoption of mercury-free restorative materials and improved waste management systems. Thailand has also piloted the use of amalgam separators, which are designed to capture amalgam particles in dental wastewater and reduce the amount of mercury entering the environment.

Dr Damrong Thamronglaohaphan, director of the Thai Bureau of Dental Health, commented in the press release: “The project has helped reduce the use of dental amalgam while strengthening prevention-oriented oral health policies, promoting mercury-free alternatives and improving the management of dental amalgam waste in Thailand. These experiences demonstrate that the transition is achievable and offer valuable lessons for other countries in the region.”

For dental professionals and health systems, the transition will require more than replacing one restorative material with another. WHO has highlighted the need for investment in prevention, clinical training, reliable supply chains, financing and waste management infrastructure to ensure that the phase-out supports equitable access to oral healthcare and does not create additional barriers for underserved populations. As Dental Tribune International recently reported, the 2025 decision includes an exception allowing dental amalgam to be used when a dental practitioner considers it clinically necessary, underscoring the need to balance environmental objectives with continuity of patient care.

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Amalgam separator Dental amalgam Dental materials Minamata Convention on Mercury Prevention Restorative dentistry Sustainable dentistry Thailand World Health Organization

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