Nepal is the first country in Asia to announce its plan to phase out amalgam use.

Joining several other nations in Europe, Asia, and Africa, Nepal recently declared it is banning amalgam use right now in children under 15, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers.

Then Nepal is going further: It will finish with amalgam use, on a plan being implemented over a five-year period, as alternatives become fully available there and while it revamps dental school curriculum to focus on mercury-free filling materials instead of amalgam.

The World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry salutes the government of Nepal and its Ministry of Health and Population! Nepal’s decision dispels the myth that mercury-free dentistry is not possible for children – and all the people – of developing countries and lower-income areas.

This achievement was not happenstance. We commend the accomplished nonprofit group Center for Public Health and Environmental Development, which led the campaign in Nepal.