5072.0
The Minamata Convention on Mercury: Implications for the Environment, Occupational Health, and Dental Public Health
The Minamata Convention on Mercury: Implications for the Environment, Occupational Health, and Dental Public Health
Wednesday, November 19, 2014: 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Oral
The United Nations Environmental Programme convened a signing conference for the "Minamata Convention on Mercury" in Minamata, Japan in October 2013. This treaty commits the world's governments to “protect human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds”. UNEP's 2013 Global Mercury Assessment identifies coal-fired power plants, artisanal gold mining, and some metal manufacturing industries as the major contributors to environmental mercury.
This session discusses mercury in the environment and pending development of policies necessary for phase down of dental amalgam with the associated specific measures to address disease prevention; concerns of the public, oral healthcare workers and related industries; status of alternative dental restorative materials; and public health implications for the USA and Globally.
Session Objectives: Describe the history of efforts to reduce the amount of mercury in the environment.
Identify the role of amalgam in efforts to reduce the amount of mercury in the environment.
Discuss the problems and benefits of amalgam and composite restorative materials for dental caries.
Describe efforts to reduce to mercury exposure to dental health care workers.
Organizers:
Kathy Lituri, RDH, MPH
and
Linda M. Kaste, DDS PhD
Moderators:
Scott L. Tomar, DMD, DrPH
and
Kathy Lituri, RDH, MPH
8:30am
8:35am
9:15am
9:35am
See individual abstracts for presenting author's disclosure statement and author's information.
Organized by: Oral Health
CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH)
See more of: Oral Health