February 9, 2026. The federal agency that provides health care to Native Americans and Alaska Natives has announced it will phase out the use of dental fillings containing mercury. The agency will update its policies to eliminate amalgam dental restorations and invest in training and clinical infrastructure for composite and alternative restorations.
This transition aligns with guidance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which has raised concerns about mercury accumulating in the body and recommends non-mercury materials for certain populations. These high-risk populations include pregnant women and their developing fetuses; women planning to become pregnant; nursing women and their newborns; children under the age of six; people with neurological disease; individuals with impaired kidney function; and people with mercury sensitivities or sensitivities to metals such as silver, copper, tin.
In November 2025, signatories to the Minamata Convention agreed to phase out the use of mercury-containing dental amalgams by the year 2034. While Kennedy’s decision to stop its use within the IHS by 2027 puts the U.S. ahead of the global schedule, the country is still behind many other developed nations that have already banned the practice.
“This is a commonsense step that protects patients and prevents harm before it starts,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “By switching to safer, mercury-free alternatives, IHS puts prevention first and upholds its responsibility to tribal communities and future generations. This is exactly the kind of practical, evidence-based action that defines the Make America Healthy Again agenda.”
While mercury-containing amalgams have fallen out of favor in the U.S. private dental sector, patients relying on government services may not have a say, according to Charles G. Brown, president of the World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry.
Dental amalgam will be banned in the Indian Health Services, but many state-administered Medicaid programs continue to cover mercury-containing fillings as a treatment for tooth decay. “If you’re on Medicaid, if you are stuck in the Indian Health Service, if you were stuck in a prison or other institution, you just don’t have any choice,” Brown said.
Further Information:
HHS Press Release:
https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/ihs-to-end-use-of-mercury-containing-dental-amalgam-by-2027.html
Associated Press:
The Maha Report:
https://www.themahareport.com/p/on-native-territories-mercury-to?