Practice history
Mercury amalgam now banned in 43 countries
As this Guardian article points out, mercury amalgam is presently banned in 43 countries, including the EU, but not in the UK. It is, however, only a matter of time.
IAOMT World Congress in Istanbul
Jeff, Rosie and Beverley attend the IAOMT World Congress in Istanbul. It was fascinating to hear more about the oral biome and its importance holistically, but equally disconcerting to learn about the degradation over time of metals – even titanium – placed in the human body.
Bio-consulting at The Clinic
There are many practitioners describing themselves as Holistic nowadays, and an increasing number that purport to use the SMART technique when removing mercury amalgams. However, to be IAOMT Holistically Accredited and SMART-Certified requires much time and study and the undertaking of IAOMT examinations – hard work. As one of very few UK dentists to have gone through this, patients can rest assured that Jeff is officially qualified.
Jeff accepts Accreditation award in Las Vegas
After having absorbed over 130 oral medicine and toxicology papers and taken numerous interim exams, I underwent a final Zoom viva examination by five Florida health professionals in September 2023. Despite the stress of five-second time lag, I was delighted to pass and become one of only three IAOMT-Accredited dentists in the UK. My reward was a trip to Las Vegas to receive the award from very friendly bunch of people.
IAOMT Accredited dentist
IAOMT Accredited and SMART certified
2019 CBCT machine installed
The Clinic utilised low-radiation digital X-ray technology from the day it opened over twenty years ago, but in 2019 I purchased a Vatech ‘green’ CBCT machine so that I could produce 3D images, which are important for surgical and osteomyelitic (cavitation) diagnoses. I believe CBCT imagery will become a clinical requirement for many patients in the future and this facility is now essential to my practice.
SMART Certification
Scavenger employed
Jeff uses the state-of-the-art IQAir FlexVac scavenger to ensure that your mercury amalgams are removed in a completely safe and non-toxic environment.
Practice installs oxygen mask
Inhaling mercury amalgam dust is even more hazardous than ingesting it, because mercury is absorbed quickly into the bloodstream from the lungs. That is why we never remove these fillings at The Clinic without first placing an oxygen nose mask for your protection.
2002 New surgery opens
The new surgery opened at the turn of the year 2002. I was the first occupant and this meant that I could set up the surgery exactly how I wanted. I bought the best equipment on the market, including an Erbium Yag laser and full digital X-ray equipment (the first in Brighton). Naturally, I vowed that the only mercury entering the surgery would be that in patients’ existing amalgam fillings.
New purpose-built surgery
By chance, I came across a newbuild live-work development in the North Laine area of Brighton. Most dental surgeries are located on older houses – not purpose-built and hard to clean. The streamlined property in Gloucester Yard was ideal in terms of functionality, hygiene and location.
Leaves NHS to become a private practitioner
I had now realised that going mercury-free entailed becoming a Private practitioner. The NHS did not allow composite fillings to be placed in back teeth and this was problematic in that I had therefore to mix NHS and Private treatment to be mercury-free. I duly terminated my NHS contract and began to look for new surgery premises in Brighton.
Plans a mercury-safe practice
It was becoming clear to me that it was going to be impossible (ideologically and practically) to continue mercury-free in the mixed, multi-surgery practice in which I was a partner. None of the other dentists in the building shared my concerns, and I encountered the usual justifications (cost-effectiveness, ease of use, insignificance of mercury danger) when I raised the subject.
Rubber dam
I started using rubber dam routinely in 1995. This was partly because composite fillings require perfect moisture isolation to work but, also, I felt instinctively that isolating the oropharynx from mercury amalgam particles from old fillings was a good idea. This was many years before the SMART protocol was formulated by the IAOMT.
Dr Jeff Amos goes mercury-free
I stopped using mercury amalgam in 1992 – not because I had read the scientific papers on its dangers that were starting to be published, but because I had never forgotten my physics teacher telling me not to mess about with the stuff in class. Which was exactly what I felt we dentists were doing. When placing or removing a mercury filling, globules of the liquid metal and airborne dust particles seemed to end up everywhere – down the patient’s throat, up the suction tubing, sometimes on the floor. This was the first step towards opening Brighton’s first mercury-safe, Holistic dental practice.
Dr Jeff Amos