On July 22, 2026, HHS announced that CMS sent a notification urging every state Medicaid director to phase out the use of mercury-containing dental fillings by restricting or ending their respective state’s Medicaid coverage for dental procedure codes for dental amalgams, a material that combines mercury with other heavy metals to fill cavities. The notifications were sent via email and reminded state Medicaid directors of a February decision by the Indian Health Service to “end the use of mercury-containing dental amalgam in its facilities by 2027.” HHS notes that evidence has demonstrated that mercury exposure from dental amalgam could pose elevated health risks to vulnerable populations, including pregnant women and their babies, women trying to become pregnant, children under the age of six, people with neurological diseases or impaired kidney function, and other groups. The notification also reminded states that the U.S. “is a party to the international Minamata Convention on mercury, and as of November 2025, there is a commitment among parties to the Convention to phase out the use of dental amalgam by 2034.”

The affiliated HHS press release may be found here.

Impact on General Dentistry: The proposed phase-out of Medicaid coverage for dental amalgam restorations could significantly impact general dentists by increasing reliance on alternative restorative materials, such as composite resins, which may be more time-consuming and costly to place in certain clinical situations. General dentists may also face increased financial and operational challenges when treating Medicaid patients, particularly in cases where amalgam has historically been the most durable and cost-effective option for restoring posterior teeth.