The America Dental Association and its California affiliate were sued today in California Superior Court for their allegedly unlawful practice of deceiving patients about the presence of mercury in the most widely used type of dental fillings. The case charges the ADA and its largest state affiliate with deceiving consumers into thinking that amalgam fillings are made of silver, when in fact the major component � about 50 percent � is mercury. Only about 25 percent of a mercury amalgam filling is composed of silver.
The lawsuits were filed this morning by public interest attorneys Shawn Khorrami of Los Angeles and Charles G. Brown of Washington, D.C. on behalf of organizations and individuals active in the effort to end the use of mercury in dental amalgam fillings.
Plaintiffs in one of the lawsuits include Kids Against Pollution, a national organization of active youth dedicated to solving and preventing pollution problems; the American Academy of Biological Dentistry, a national dental society opposed to amalgam use; and, Dental Amalgam Mercury Syndrome, Inc., a national organization of victims of mercury toxicity from mercury amalgam fillings. The second lawsuit includes individuals seeking class action status.
In addition to filing the lawsuits, the attorneys served 60 days notice (as required by law), that they intend to sue the ADA under the provisions of Proposition 65, the anti-toxins measure passed by California voters in 1986.
The full text of the lawsuits and the Proposition 65 intent-to-sue notice, along with additional information on the issue of mercury amalgam dental fillings, can be found on the Internet at www.toxicteeth.net
