Updated: Global Dental Amalgam Tracker

According to the Minamata Conventions Full National Reports 2021 and 2025, the Minamata Initial Assessments, or other official documents, the global transition to a mercury-free dentistry is steadily progressing.

46 Countries ban the use of dental amalgam by law.
A further 11 Countries have withdrawn dental amalgam from public programs, effectively phasing it out or have banned its import and manufacturing.
A further 13 Countries declare that dental amalgam is no longer used.
A further 13 Countries ban the use of dental amalgam for children up to 15 years (2 for younger children), pregnant and breastfeeding women.

!Click on the Countries to see the relevant Regulation or Reporting!

Sweden, Norway, Moldova, Mongolia, 5 Arab states of the Persian Gulf (Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates), the Philippines, Panama, Indonesia, Gabon, Tanzania , Uganda and Uruguay ban dental amalgam by law without exceptions.

A general ban on the use without exceptions will further enter into force in Slovakia by 2030.

Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Iceland and the European Union have banned dental amalgam with few limited exceptions (in the Czech Republic, Slovenia, and Iceland the phase out will enter into force by 1 July 2026).

The EU also banned the export of dental amalgam, and by 30 June 2026, the production and import of dental amalgam will also be restricted. It will then only be possible to import and manufacture dental amalgam for exceptional medical cases. The European Commission is to examine by 31 December 2029 whether these exemptions can be withdrawn.

Japan, Bolivia, El Salvador, Paraguay, Peru, Guyana, Saint Lucia, Argentina and Mozambique have withdrawn dental amalgam from public programs, effectively phasing it out.

Colombia banned the import and manufacturing of dental amalgam in July 2023. Montenegro declared in 2025 that it had also stopped the import and manufacture of dental amalgam.

Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Ecuador, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Kiribati, Cook Islands, Tuvalu, the Maldives, Zambia and Lesotho declared that dental amalgam is no longer used.

In 2018, the European Union banned the use of dental amalgam for dental treatments of deciduous teeth, of children under 15 years and of pregnant and breastfeeding women.

This example was followed by Albania, Brazil, Montenegro, Iceland, Israel, UK, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Vietnam, China, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and Tanzania, while also becoming a requirement under the Minamata Convention on Mercury. Thailand banned the use of dental amalgam for children up to 6 years and Mauritius for young children.

Here are the phase out requirements under the Minamata Convention on Mercury:

By 28 September 2023 all Parties to the Minamata Convention should have taken measures to protect children from the use of dental amalgam. Parties shall:

"Exclude or not allow, by taking measures as appropriate, or recommend against the use of dental amalgam for the dental treatment of deciduous teeth, of patients under 15 years and of pregnant and breastfeeding women, except when considered necessary by the dental practitioner based on the needs of the patient."

By 31 December 2027, parties that have not yet phased out dental amalgam shall submit progress reports or phase out plans. Parties shall:

"Submit to the secretariat a national action plan or a report based on available information with respect to progress they have made or are making to phase down or phase out dental amalgam every four years as part of national reporting." (COP6 decided that the first national plan should be submitted not later than by 31 December 2027)

By 31 December 2034, the manufacturing, import and export of dental amalgam shall be prohibited.

"The manufacture, import or export of the Dental Amalgam shall not be allowed (phased-out)by 31 December 2034, except for when its use is considered necessary by the dental practitioner based on the needs of the patient"

The World Alliance for Mercury-free Dentistry is calling on parties to immediately take action, to protect the most vulnerable population and to set up a national plan to generally phase out dental amalgam: