COP6 confirms 2034 amalgam phase-out with key clinical exemption

GENEVA, Switzerland: The global regulation of dental amalgam has entered a new phase after parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury adopted a decision at the sixth Conference of the Parties (COP6) that sets 2034 as the worldwide phase-out date for mercury-based restorative materials. The outcome represents a major win for organised dentistry, particularly FDI World Dental Federation and the International Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (IADR), whose coordinated advocacy secured both a longer transition period and a crucial exemption intended to protect patient care