| Summary: | Mercury exposure in dental personnel is primarily connected to the use of amalgam restorations in dental care practice. In Norway, the use of mercury in dental restorations has been prohibited since 2008. Interim permissions that allowed the use of amalgam on special indications ended 31.12.2010. The Norwegian Knowledge Centre for the Health Services has conducted a systematic review on available research on mercury exposure and adverse health outcomes in dental health care workers. We searched systematically in databases and contacted experts in Norway to help identify scientific research publications. From 981 identified references, we included 134 papers. Key messages:1. Dental personnel in Norway were exposed to mercury to variable degrees in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. The highest exposure is found in the 1960s.2. Mercury concentrations in urine and in other body tissues were generally higher in dental personnel than in unexposed control groups, both in Nordic and international studies. Dental care assistants in general had higher concentrations of mercury in urine compared to dentists.3. Six studies that reported 64 health outcomes for dental care assistants compared to unexposed control groups showed 20 outcomes in favour of the control group and three outcomes in favour of dental care assistants.4. Nine studies that reported 62 health outcomes for dentists compared to unexposed control groups showed 13 outcomes in favour of control groups and 13 in favour of dentists.5. Some studies lacking control groups, but of high methodological quality, showed statistically significant associations between high levels of mercury in urine and less favourable results on outcomes such as reduced attention, memory and coordination. The same associations are indicated in studies comparing dental assistants to unexposed populations
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