The Maine Legislators who voted against protecting pregnant women and children from dental mercury exposure

maine-seal2Tuesday, April 12th

Once again the Maine Dental Association and American Dental Association’s lobbying efforts have paid off. By a unanimus vote, the members of the Health and Human Services Committee of the Maine Legislature voted against releasing a bill (LD 146, HP 129, item 1, “An Act To Prohibit the Use of Mercury Amalgams in Dental Procedures for Children, Pregnant Women and Nursing Mothers.”) to a vote on the floor of the house, thus killing it in committee. 

At a time when our nation is taking great steps to reduce its exposure to mercury in products, medicine and the environment, dentists are the lone hold out in denying the cumulative toxic effects of mercury vapor exposure. With the unanimous “ought not to pass” vote of this bill, dentists are once again allowed to continually disregard the precautionary principle in regards to potential harm to patients health from mrcury exposure.

Sponsored by Representative 

An Act To Prohibit the Use of Mercury Amalgams in Dental Procedures for Children, Pregnant Women and Nursing Mothers.

Sec. 1. 32 MRSA §1093-A is enacted to read:
§ 1093-A. Mercury amalgam fillings; prohibition

A dentist may not knowingly use mercury or a mercury amalgam in any dental procedure involving a person 17 years of age or younger, a woman who is pregnant or a woman who is nursing a child.

All of the following members of the Health and Human Services Committee Voted “Ought not to pass” the bill, thus killing it in committee.

Richard_S._Malaby

Richard Malaby – R

52 Cross Road
Hancock, ME
Home: (207) 422-3146 – Cell: (207) 266-3710

info@crockerhouse.com

RepRichard.Malaby@legislature.maine.gov

Matthew_J._Peterson

Matthew Peterson – D

1106 Route 2
Rumford, ME

petersonhouse08@gmail.com

Peter_C._Stuckey

Peter Stuckey – D

20 Vaill Street
Portland, ME
Home: (207) 773-3345 – Cell: (207) 776-8051

pstuckey114@yahoo.com

RepPeter.Stuckey@legislature.maine.gov

Heather_W._Sirocki

Heather Sirocki – R

32 Glendale Circle
Scarborough, ME
HOME: (207)883-5609 – CELL: (207) 730-6602

hsirocki@maine.rr.com

RepHeather.Sirocki@legislature.maine.gov

Registered Dental Hygienist / Receptionist

Linda_F._Sanborn

Linda Sanborn – D

170 Spiller Road
Gorham, ME
HOME: (207) 839-4664 – CELL: (207) 939-2879

lindafsanborn@gmail.com

RepLinda.Sanborn@legislature.maine.gov

Retired Family Physician

Beth_A._OConnor

Beth O’Connor – R

92 Sullivan Street
Berwick, ME
HOME: (207) 698-7899 – CELL: (207) 289-9047

libertymom1@msn.com

RepBeth.OConnor@legislature.maine.gov

Meredith_N._Strang_Burgess

Meredith Strang Burgess – R

155 Tuttle Road
Cumberland, ME
HOME: (207) 829-6264 – CELL: 207) 775-3157

meredith@burgessadv.com

RepMeredith.StrangBurgess@legislature.maine.gov

Maine Dental Association MARCH 2011
The award for the legislative hero of 2011 went to Rep. Meredith Strang-Burgess of Cumberland, a long-time supporter of improving oral health in Maine.  It may be in her blood— she is the daughter of the late Dr. Walter Strang, who practiced for many years in Camden.  Rep. StrangBurgess has worked with the Maine Dental Association on several bills, and she is the primary sponsor in this Legislative Session of the MDA’s a bill to increase the fees paid by MaineCare.

Mark_W._Eves

Mark Eves – D

78 Madison Street
North Berwick, ME
HOME: (207) 676-1001

markweves@yahoo.com

RepMark.Eves@legislature.maine.gov

Leslie_T._Fossel

Leslie Fossel – R

P. O. Box 525
Alna, ME
CELL: (207) 631-0219

fossel@oldhouserestoration.com

RepLes.Fossel@legislature.maine.gov

Deborah_J._Sanderson

Deborah Sanderson – R

64 Whittier Drive
Chelsea, ME
HOME: (207) 623-2168 – CELL: (207) 376-7515

deb.sanderson@hotmail.com

RepDeb.Sanderson@legislature.maine.gov

The above contact information was copied directly from the Maine legislator website.

March 2011 Maine Dental Association Newsletter

About The Author

2 Comments

  1. richard_player@yahoo.com'
    richard

    “The Mercury Girls”, aired in the Scandinavian countries 1995 resulted in legislation placing a ban on mercury amalgam within two years.
    Henry Fonda

Leave a Reply