The Croatian Ministry of Health presented their National Action Plan to significantly reduce the use of dental amalgam under the EU Mercury Regulation by 2025(!), the plan of a country with a curent share of 20% – 70% use of dental amalgam.
Here are the main points:
- The Ordinance on dental care from the compulsory health insurance was extended on 24 February 2020 tu use composite, phosphate-cement or glass ionomer-cement fillings for children up to 18 years of age and pregnant and breastfeeding women as standard material.
- The Ordinance on dental care from the compulsory health insurance with the right to reimbursements of alternative fillings will be further extended to all insured persons by 31 December 2025, which will reduce the use of amalgam to a minimum.
It was further stated that the majority of patients are covered by compulsory insurance, and dentists who provide dental care outside the public health service network and charge their services directly to patients do not use amalgam as a filling material.
Now 20 of 27 national plans are available, and only the plans of Belgium, Estonia, France, Greece, Italy, Malta and Poland are still missing.
