The forum
brought together over 67 participants drawn from Government, Dental
practitioners, Dental students, Dental surgery technicians, Academia, Media and
Civil society groups among others, and deliberated on issues bothering on the
phasing down of the use dental amalgam in the South East region.

Goodwill messages were delivered
by the Dean,
Faculty of Dentistry, University of Nigeria;
Enugu
State Ministries of Health and Environment; Rector, College of Dental Technology and
Therapy Enugu, Enugu
State Nigerian Dental Association (NDA), Chair, South East Oral Health Forum and the World Alliance for
Mercury Free Dentistry (WAMFD).

During the meeting participants observed the following:

1. Mercury is a
chemical of global concern owing to its long range atmospheric transport, its
persistence in the environment once anthropogenically introduced and its
ability to bio-accumulate in ecosystems.

2. Exposure to
mercury can harm the brain, heart, kidneys, lungs, cardiovascular system and
immune system, particularly in women, unborn children and infants. Developing
organs are the most sensitive.