This week in dentistry, analysis found that dental practices could continue managing amalgam waste for decades after the global phase-out in 2034 – plus more news and updates from the profession.
NHS England has confirmed that manufacture, import and export of dental amalgam will be phased out, although dentists can still use it where clinically necessary. However, millions of existing fillings will remain in patients’ mouths, generating waste when restorations are replaced or teeth extracted.
Using the Adult Oral Health Survey 2023 and Office for National Statistics population figures, BusinessWaste.co.uk estimated that around 27.2 million adults in England could have at least one amalgam filling. This includes approximately 1.3 million people aged 16-24, suggesting that the issue extends beyond older patients.
According to the analysis, individual fillings in use around 2034 could remain until the 2040s or 2050s – though some restorations will be removed earlier, while others could last much longer.
Mark Hall, dental waste disposal expert at BusinessWaste.co.uk, said: ‘The amount of amalgam being used may fall, but existing fillings will continue to be removed for many years. That means practices will still need suitable processes for separating, storing and transferring amalgam waste, even when they are dealing with much smaller amounts of it.’
Practices removing amalgam must use separators retaining at least 95% of amalgam particles and arrange collection by an authorised hazardous waste operator.
BSPD and RCPCH launch oral health toolkit for non-dental professionals
The British Society of Paediatric Dentistry (BSPD) and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) have launched an oral health toolkit for non-dental professionals working with children, alongside a Mini Mouth Care Matters implementation guide.
Launched on 6 October 2026, the resources aim to make oral health part of routine care across health, social care and education. They follow warnings in RCPCH’s State of Child Health 2026 report that progress on children’s health has stalled.
The toolkit brings together evidence and practical strategies to improve prevention, reduce inequalities and support inclusive, trauma-informed care.
The implementation guide offers a four-step approach – ask, look, rate, signpost – for community and outpatient settings, plus an eight-step framework for paediatric wards and hospices. Supporting materials include e-learning, resources for special educational settings and high-risk groups, and accessible patient information.
BSPD’s Oosh Devalia OBE said the resources would help professionals address children’s oral health confidently. RCPCH’s Helen Stewart highlighted evidence supporting brief interventions by non-dental staff.
The toolkit complements existing guidance, professional judgement and local pathways; it does not set mandatory standards of care.
CDS delivers oral health session for Luton’s Over 50s Black Men Forum
Community Dental Services CIC (CDS) partnered with Luton’s Over 50s Black Men (O5BM) Forum to deliver an oral health session supporting prevention and tackling inequalities.
Held at the Luton Co-op Social Club on Stockingstone Road, the event combined education, health screening and practical advice. Its content reflected feedback from forum members, who identified oral cancer awareness, oral hygiene, tooth loss and dentures as priorities.
Interactive health stations offered personalised advice, while CDS clinicians explained connections between oral disease, diabetes, cardiovascular health and healthy ageing. Participants also completed surveys and received blood pressure and finger-prick blood glucose measurements.
Chidi Umeano, the forum’s partnership and engagement lead, said members had reported difficulties accessing reliable oral health information. The collaboration brought expert support directly into the community, helping participants take positive steps towards better oral and general health.
CDS chief operating officer Glen Taylor emphasised the importance of prevention and early intervention, welcoming the opportunity to provide accessible information, screening and guidance.
The event also helped build understanding of older Black men’s oral health needs in Luton and explore opportunities for future community outreach to support preventative healthcare and reduce barriers to services.
Gillian Leng named Medical Protection Society president
Professor Gillian Leng CBE has been named president of the Medical Protection Society (MPS), which includes Dental Protection, effective 1 October 2026.
A clinician committed to using evidence to improve care, Leng joined the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in 2001 to establish its clinical guidelines programme. She became NICE’s second chief executive officer in 2020.
Leng is president of the Royal Society of Medicine, chairs the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council and holds a non-executive role at the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology. She also led an independent government review into the roles of physician and anaesthesia associates and is supporting implementation of its recommendations.
Leng succeeds Professor Dame Jane Dacre, whose eight-year tenure ended in June 2026.
She said she looked forward to working with MPS Council and Dental Protection’s dento-legal team to ensure dental professionals had the confidence and protection needed to care for patients safely.
Dr Graham Stokes, dentist and chair of council at MPS, welcomed her appointment, saying her healthcare experience and passion would help shape support for members. He also thanked Dacre for her advocacy and service.
Apheon acquires majority stake in Hager & Meisinger
European private equity firm Apheon has acquired a majority stake in Hager & Meisinger Group, a global provider of premium dental instruments and workflow solutions under the Meisinger and Jota brands.
Current shareholders and co-CEOs Dr Burkard Höchst and Sebastian Voss will retain a meaningful shareholding and remain actively involved in the Group’s development.
Founded in 1888 and headquartered in Neuss, Germany, Hager & Meisinger specialises in high-precision dental rotary instruments. Together with Switzerland-based Jota AG, it offers more than 12,000 product references, with particular strengths in diamond and carbide instruments. The group also provides bone management and implant dentistry solutions developed with clinicians, supported by a global clinical education network.
The partnership will support organic growth and selective acquisitions, with a focus on US expansion, international commercial reach and distributor relationships.
Höchst and Voss said Apheon shared their long-term perspective and commitment to the group’s heritage, quality and customer relationships. Apheon’s Nils Lüssem and Finn Pilath highlighted the group’s established brands, engineering expertise and international growth potential.
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