Amalgam Phase-Down: A Guide for Dental Distributors | ATBIO

The Minamata Convention on Mercury has moved dental amalgam from a long-term phase-down discussion toward a defined global phase-out framework. For dental distributors, this is no longer only a regulatory issue. It is becoming a portfolio, inventory, product-positioning, and market-development issue.

In 2025, the sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP-6) established 2034 as the phase-out date for the manufacture, import, and export of dental amalgam. This is a major change in the commercial outlook for mercury-containing restorative materials. However, it should not be interpreted as a universal clinical-use ban taking effect everywhere on the same day. The Minamata framework also recognizes circumstances in which a dental practitioner considers amalgam necessary based on patient needs, while national implementation and clinical rules may vary by market.

For distributors, the practical question is therefore not simply "When will amalgam disappear?" The more useful question is:

How should a dental distribution business prepare its restorative portfolio for the transition from mercury-containing materials to mercury-free alternatives?

This guide explains what the Minamata transition means for dental distributors, how to think about inventory and portfolio planning, and where composite resins, glass ionomer cements, adhesives, and related restorative systems fit into the next stage of the market.

01 — What the Minamata Convention Means for Dental Amalgam

The Minamata Convention on Mercury is a global environmental treaty designed to reduce mercury pollution and its impact on human health and the environment. Dental amalgam has been one of the products specifically addressed by the Convention because it contains elemental mercury.

The Convention originally established a phase-down approach for dental amalgam. Parties were required to adopt measures from a defined list to progressively reduce its use, rather than treating dental amalgam as a product subject to an immediate worldwide prohibition.

The regulatory direction became significantly clearer at COP-6 in 2025. Parties agreed to establish 2034 as the global phase-out date for the manufacture, import, and export of dental amalgam. Parties that have not yet phased out amalgam are also expected to take measures to prevent its use or significantly reduce its use during the transition.

This distinction matters for distributors:

• Phase-down means progressively reducing the use of dental amalgam.

• Phase-out establishes a defined endpoint for specified activities.

• 2034 refers to the global phase-out of the manufacture, import, and export of dental amalgam.

• Clinical use should not automatically be interpreted as being subject to a universal worldwide prohibition on exactly the same date.

• National implementation remains important because distributors operate under the laws, regulatory systems, and market requirements of individual countries.

The COP-6 amendments are scheduled to enter into force on 23 March 2027, subject to the Convention's applicable acceptance and non-acceptance procedures. This gives distributors a defined period in which to review their current amalgam exposure and prepare the next stage of their restorative portfolio.

02 — Why the Transition Matters to Dental Distributors

A regulatory transition rarely affects only one SKU. For a dental distributor, the impact can extend across inventory, sales training, clinical education, purchasing strategy, product registration, and customer relationships.

Dental amalgam has historically occupied a recognizable position in restorative dentistry. As markets progressively reduce their dependence on amalgam, distributors need to consider what products will serve the clinical applications that were previously associated with it.

The commercial opportunity is therefore not simply to remove amalgam from a catalogue. It is to build a replacement restorative system that allows dentists to move toward mercury-free materials without creating gaps in product availability or clinical workflow.

Inventory planning becomes more important

Distributors carrying amalgam-related products should monitor demand rather than waiting for regulatory deadlines to force a portfolio change. A gradual reduction in purchasing can create excess inventory, longer stock cycles, and declining product turnover before the formal phase-out date arrives.

A more resilient approach is to classify the portfolio into three groups:

1. Products likely to experience structural decline as amalgam use decreases.

2. Products that can support the transition, including composite resins, glass ionomer cements, and adhesive systems.

3. Products that expand the restorative workflow, such as flowable composites, universal composites, posterior composites, core build-up materials, bonding agents, and related accessories.

This approach turns regulatory planning into portfolio planning.

03 — Where Will the Demand Go?

The decline of dental amalgam does not mean that every former amalgam indication will be replaced by one identical material. Modern restorative dentistry uses a broader range of mercury-free materials, with product selection depending on the clinical indication, patient factors, dentist preference, technique, and local practice standards.

For distributors, the important point is that the transition creates a need for alternative restorative categories and complete clinical workflows.

Composite resins

Composite resins are among the principal mercury-free restorative categories positioned to benefit from the continued transition away from amalgam. They can serve a wide range of direct restorative applications and offer distributors opportunities to build differentiated product tiers around handling, aesthetics, strength, viscosity, shade selection, and clinical indication.

A distributor should therefore think beyond a single "amalgam replacement" composite. A more effective portfolio can include:

• Universal restorative composites

• Posterior restorative composites

• Flowable composites

• High-aesthetic anterior composites

• Bulk-fill or other application-specific restorative materials where appropriate

• Core build-up materials

• Complementary adhesive and finishing systems

Glass ionomer cements

Glass ionomer cements remain an important mercury-free restorative category. Their role differs from that of composite resin, and they should not simply be positioned as interchangeable materials.

Depending on the market and clinical indication, GIC products can support restorative strategies involving fluoride release, chemical adhesion, simplified procedures, pediatric dentistry, temporary or transitional restorations, and other applications where their material characteristics are appropriate.

Adhesive systems

As restorative portfolios move further toward adhesive dentistry, bonding systems become strategically important. A distributor selling composite resin without an appropriate adhesive workflow may be addressing only part of the clinical system.

This is why the strongest portfolio strategy is often not "replace amalgam with composite", but rather:

Build a complete mercury-free restorative workflow around the clinical needs of the target market.

04 — A Practical Portfolio Strategy for Dental Distributors

The transition will not happen at the same speed in every country. Regulatory requirements, reimbursement systems, dentist preferences, product registration, purchasing habits, and existing inventory all influence the pace of change.

A distributor can therefore divide its planning into five practical moves.

1. Map the current amalgam exposure

Start with the current portfolio. Identify amalgam products, capsules, related accessories, average monthly sales, major customers, inventory turnover, and markets where regulatory restrictions are already affecting demand.

The purpose is not simply to forecast when the last amalgam unit will be sold. It is to understand where the current revenue and customer relationships can migrate.

2. Build a replacement-category matrix

Map declining products against suitable mercury-free categories. For example:

3. Segment the replacement portfolio

Not every customer needs the same product. A distributor can improve adoption by creating clear product tiers rather than presenting a large catalogue without clinical or commercial positioning.

• Value segment: reliable everyday restorative materials for price-sensitive markets.

• Core professional segment: universal and posterior composites for broad clinical use.

• Aesthetic segment: materials emphasizing shade integration and anterior restorative performance.

• Specialized segment: flowables, core build-up materials, pediatric-oriented materials, and other indication-specific products.

4. Sell the workflow, not only the material

Dentists do not purchase resin in isolation. They purchase a restorative workflow that includes preparation, bonding, placement, curing, finishing, and polishing.

Distributor sales teams can therefore create stronger value propositions by combining:

• Composite resin

• Bonding agent

• Etching system where appropriate

• Curing equipment and accessories

• Finishing and polishing solutions

• Clinical education and product training

This also creates opportunities to increase product penetration within existing accounts rather than relying exclusively on new-customer acquisition.

5. Prepare the commercial team before the market forces the change

A distributor's sales team should be able to explain why the portfolio is changing and what clinical problem each replacement product solves.

The strongest sales conversation is not: "Amalgam is going away, so buy our composite."

It is: "Here is how your restorative portfolio can transition, which products fit which applications, and how we can support your clinicians through the change."

05 — What the 2034 Deadline Means for Different Market Stages

The 2034 phase-out date provides a global direction, but individual markets will not necessarily move through the transition at the same speed.

This staged approach is particularly useful for distributors operating across multiple countries, because the same portfolio may be at different points of the transition in different markets.

06 — Why Supplier Selection Matters More During the Transition

When a distributor is replacing a mature product category, supplier selection becomes more important than simply comparing unit prices.

Key considerations include:

• Product breadth: Can the supplier support more than one restorative SKU?

• Quality systems: Is there a documented and appropriate quality-management framework?

• Regulatory support: Can the supplier provide documentation required for the target market?

• Supply reliability: Can the supplier support predictable replenishment as demand grows?

• Technical support: Can the distributor obtain product information and training materials?

• Commercial flexibility: Are OEM, private-label, or market-specific solutions available where required?

• Portfolio scalability: Can the relationship expand from one product into a broader restorative system?

These factors can determine whether a distributor is simply replacing individual SKUs or building a sustainable restorative category for the next decade.

07 — How ATBIO Fits into the Mercury-Free Restorative Transition

ATBIO has more than three decades of experience in dental materials manufacturing and serves international markets through distributors and other B2B partners. Its portfolio includes composite resins, adhesives, cements, impression materials, endodontic systems, dental equipment, and related dental products.

This broader portfolio is relevant to distributors planning for the post-amalgam environment because the opportunity is not limited to replacing a single restorative material. It is to develop a coherent mercury-free restorative portfolio around the needs of local clinicians.

ATBIO's composite resin portfolio includes the NANOFIL family and products designed for different restorative applications, including universal and posterior restorative composites.

For example, distributors can explore:

• NANOFIL Z250 Universal Restorative Composite

• NANOFIL P60 Posterior Restorative Composite Resin

• ATBIO Dental Composite Resin Portfolio

ATBIO also provides distributor-oriented support including product information, marketing resources, technical support, and OEM/ODM capabilities. Its current distributor program is designed for agents, importers, and dental-market partners seeking long-term cooperation and a broader product portfolio.

Where applicable, regulatory claims and product certifications should always be evaluated for the specific product and target market rather than assumed across the entire portfolio. For distributors, this market-specific approach is particularly important when preparing product registration and import documentation.

To understand the company's historical connection with dental amalgam and the evolution of its dental-material portfolio, see: GK® Brand Story: The Past and Present of the Dental Amalgam Capsule.

08 — From Amalgam Replacement to Portfolio Expansion

The most important commercial insight for distributors is that the transition should not be managed as a simple product substitution exercise.

A distributor that replaces one amalgam SKU with one composite SKU may preserve part of its existing business. A distributor that uses the transition to build a broader restorative workflow can potentially create a much stronger product relationship with its customers.

That can include:

• Universal composite systems

• Posterior restorative systems

• Flowable composites

• Adhesive systems

• Glass ionomer cements

• Core build-up materials

• Finishing and polishing solutions

• Clinical education and training materials

The result is a shift from selling a replacement material to building a restorative category.

09 — Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is dental amalgam being immediately banned worldwide?

No. The Minamata Convention originally established a phase-down framework, and COP-6 in 2025 established a global 2034 phase-out date for the manufacture, import, and export of dental amalgam. This should not be described simply as an immediate worldwide clinical-use ban.

2. What happens to dental amalgam after 2034?

The COP-6 amendment establishes 2034 as the phase-out date for the manufacture, import, and export of dental amalgam. Clinical-use rules and implementation measures may still depend on applicable national requirements, and the Minamata framework recognizes cases where a dental practitioner considers amalgam necessary based on patient needs.

3. When do the COP-6 amendments enter into force?

The relevant COP-6 amendments are scheduled to enter into force on 23 March 2027, subject to the Convention's applicable procedures concerning acceptance and non-acceptance.

4. What should dental distributors do before 2034?

Distributors should not wait until 2034 to change their portfolios. The practical priorities are to monitor national regulations, assess amalgam-related inventory exposure, identify mercury-free replacement categories, qualify suitable suppliers, develop composite and GIC portfolios, and prepare sales teams and customers for the transition.

5. Are composite resins the only alternative to dental amalgam?

No. Composite resins are an important mercury-free restorative category, but they are not the only option. Depending on the clinical indication and market, glass ionomer cements and other mercury-free restorative materials can also play important roles. Product selection should be based on the clinical application and applicable professional and regulatory requirements.

6. Why should distributors consider a complete restorative system instead of a single composite?

Modern restorative workflows can involve bonding, restorative materials, curing, finishing, polishing, and other complementary products. A broader portfolio allows distributors to support the complete workflow, improve account penetration, and reduce dependence on a single SKU.

10 — The Distributor's Opportunity in the Post-Amalgam Market

The Minamata Convention has given the dental industry a clear long-term direction: the role of dental amalgam will continue to decline, with a defined global phase-out of its manufacture, import, and export by 2034.

For distributors, the strategic response should begin well before the deadline.

The strongest approach is to:

1. Understand the regulatory timeline in each target market.

2. Identify where amalgam demand is already declining.

3. Reduce unnecessary exposure to long-term declining inventory.

4. Build a diversified mercury-free restorative portfolio.

5. Develop composite, GIC, adhesive, and complementary product categories.

6. Train sales teams to sell clinical workflows rather than individual products.

7. Work with suppliers that can support quality, regulatory, technical, and commercial requirements.

The transition away from amalgam is therefore not simply a compliance challenge. For prepared distributors, it is an opportunity to reposition the restorative portfolio around the materials and workflows that will define the next stage of dental practice.

References

1. Minamata Convention on Mercury — Dental Amalgam. minamataconvention.org/en/topics/dental-amalgam

2. Minamata Convention — Dental Amalgam Intersessional Work. minamataconvention.org/en/topics/dental-amalgam/intersessional-work

3. Minamata Convention — Dental Amalgam Insights. minamataconvention.org/en/topics/dental-amalgam/insights

4. Minamata Convention — COP-6. minamataconvention.org/en/meetings/cop6

5. Japan Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry — Results of COP-6. meti.go.jp/english/press/2025/1113_001.html

6. FDI World Dental Federation — COP-6 Decision on Dental Amalgam. fdiworlddental.org/cop6-decision-dental-amalgam-secures-equity-focused-patient-centred-approach

Related ATBIO Resources

• Dental Composite Resins

• NANOFIL Z250 Universal Restorative Composite

• NANOFIL P60 Posterior Restorative Composite Resin

• GK® Dental Amalgam Capsule

• GK® Brand Story: The Past and Present of the Dental Amalgam Capsule

• Become an ATBIO Distributor

• Request a Quote

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