EU Amalgam Ban and Streamlined Safety Rules Reshape German Dental Practices from June 1

Two major shifts hit German dental practices on 1 June. The European Union’s prohibition on dental amalgam took full effect, ending decades of mercury-based fillings. At the same time, the occupational health and safety framework — DGUV Vorschrift 2 — was overhauled, raising the threshold for simplified supervision and allowing more flexible, even digital, consultations.

The amalgam ban closes the last exceptions. Roughly 40 tonnes of mercury were used annually in EU dental fillings. Now, neither putting in new amalgam fillings nor importing the material is permitted. The regulation cites environmental concerns, with mercury posing risks when it enters wastewater or crematorium emissions.

On the safety side, the Berufsgenossenschaften — Germany’s statutory accident insurance bodies — have streamlined accident-prevention rules. The key change: the ceiling for using simplified routine supervision jumps from 10 to 20 employees. Small and medium-sized practices are the main beneficiaries, shedding bureaucratic requirements.

Fixed working hours for company doctors are eliminated. Practice owners can now call on advisory services only when they actually need them — for example during a risk assessment or after a change in workflows.

With the new DGUV rules allowing businesses to request advisory support on demand, having your risk assessment documentation in order is more important than ever. Keeping compliant records doesn’t have to mean hours of paperwork. A free toolkit provides 41 ready-to-use templates, checklists, and training materials designed to help UK companies manage workplace risks effectively. Download the free Risk Assessment Toolkit

Digital tools get a formal green light. Up to one-third of supervisory services may be delivered online. But there is a catch: the service provider and the practice’s responsible person must have met in person at least once. Existing contracts have a transition period until 31 May 2027 — roughly a year for practices to adapt.

While occupational safety modernises, another dental-care crisis remains acute. Insurance data show that preventive check-ups for people in nursing homes are failing. Although special prophylactic services are billable, uptake sits below 15 percent. On average, residents receive only 0.8 check-ups per year, against a recommended minimum of two. Over 60 percent of institutionalised seniors suffer from periodontitis. Experts blame high red tape and a lack of on-site dental infrastructure. Untreated oral diseases can trigger systemic infections, leaving the issue high on the health policy agenda.

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