New Legislation on Disclosing Origin of Dental Prosthetics

Dentists and manufacturers would be required to disclose the country of origin for all dental prosthetics being placed into a patient’s mouth under a new law proposed in Erie County, New York.

The legislation, introduced by Erie County Legislature Majority Leader Joseph Lorigo on July 11, is believed to be the first of its kind in the US ever to reach this stage, according to the National Association of Dental Laboratories (NADL), whose “What’s In Your Mouth” campaign includes as a primary tenet that dentists and patients should know where their dental restorations are coming from, who is making them, and what materials are used in the process.

“Certainly the way it is constructed is very positive, and we hope it gains momentum and media coverage,” says Bennett Napier, CAE, Executive Director of the NADL.

According to a press release on the Erie County Legislature’s website, the law would require “that the product’s place of origin be disclosed by either the manufacturer, if operating in Erie County, or by the dentist operating in Erie County.” It would include dentures, veneers, crown-and-bridge materials, and implants, among other products.

“The United States has federal regulations requiring the disclosure of the fiber content, country of origin, manufacturer identity, and care instructions for clothing, but literally nothing for dental,” Lorigo says in the press release. “This is shocking and disappointing, especially in light of the potential for the use of lead in some prosthetics manufactured overseas.… I sincerely hope that my colleagues will support this common-sense legislation so that we can start a groundswell across the country. People have a right to know where dental devices are coming from before having them implanted into their mouths.”

Lorigo adds that he hopes to see this law eventually imposed at the state or even federal level. “This at least starts the conversation and takes a step forward in protecting Erie County residents,” he says. Read more about this law at insidedentaltech.com/idt968.