Consumers for Dental Choice - Other Dental Resources

Consumers for Dental Choice

316 F Street N.E., Suite 210
Washington, DC 20002
Phone: (202) 544-6333
Fax: (202) 544-6331

Consumers for Dental Choice (CDC) was established in 1996 by consumer advocates, mercury poisoning victims, scientists and mercury-free dentists, and soon thereafter became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. Our purpose is to educate the public about the health and environmental dangers of mercury fillings, and to ensure more effective government oversight on amalgam. Since the organization began, the number of amalgams placed have declined dramatically, from two-thirds of all fillings placed to one-third, and the number of mercury-free dentists has grown dramatically. But we will not be satisfied until mercury is no longer used in dentistry.
As part of its educational work, Consumers for Dental Choice wants the full flow of non-deceptive information between dentists and patients. As such, we work to end the American Dental AssociationÌs notorious Ïgag ruleÓ which tries to silence mercury-free dentists, and the ADAÌs promoting mercury amalgam under the deceptive term Ïsilver.Ó We favor full disclosure of the risks of mercury fillings.

It is important that research relied upon by federal agencies be based on science, so Consumers works to counter studies by non-independent or unqualified researchers that urge continuation of amalgam for spurious reasons such as ÏitÌs good because weÌve used it for 150 years,Ó or a mixture of amalgam is like sodium and chloride is like table salt. Scientific research makes clear that mercury does not belong in dentistry.

The environmental dangers of mercury fillings Ò from dental offices, from human waste, and from cremation Ò is alarming, and reason enough to end the use of amalgam. Consumers works to educate the public about the contribution of dentistry of toxic mercury to both human beings and the environment.