As with any project, there are persons who exert leadership, offer expert advice and provide technical support. The preparation of this report, which presents a strategic plan on dental amalgam safety for the U.S. Public Health Service, is no exception. Many individuals, with diverse backgrounds and expertise, contributed significantly to the preparation of this report and the deliberations that underlie it.

The report is based on extensive work performed by two groups: the Subcommittee on Risk Assessment, chaired by Dr. Vernon Houk, Director of the National Center for Environmental Health and Injury Control, CDC; and the Ad Hoc Subcommittee on the Benefits of Dental Amalgam, chaired by Dr. Harald Loe, Director of the National Institute of Dental Research, NIH.

Several members of FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health were actively involved in preparing the present report. Chief among them was Dr. Elizabeth Jacobson, who provided management oversight of the project and general direction for the support team that performed the various tasks. Mr. Robert Eccleston and Dr. Lireka Joseph served as project coordinators, which involved project planning, task execution and authorship of parts of the report

Dr. Stanford Hamburger, Mr. James Morrison and Dr. Carolyn Tylenda chaired interagency work groups assigned to analyze the research, education and regulatory issues respectively associated with dental amalgam and to recommend actions to define and manage amalgam risks. Mr. Mark Bamett and Ms. Marcia Meyer also contributed to the writing of the report. Finally, Mr. Ronald Jans provided the computer support for generation of the report and the supporting graphics and other visuals.

Subcommittee on Risk Management James S. Benson, Chairman

Subcommittee on Research Needs Kenneth A. Olden, Ph.D., Chairman

Subcommittee on Risk Assessment Vernon N. Houk, M.D., Chairman

Subcommittee on Risk Communication and Education Barry L. Johnson, Ph.D., Chairman

Ad Hoc Subcommittee on the Benefits of Dental Amalgam Harald Loe, D.D.S., Chairman

Carolyn A. Tylenda, D.M.D., Ph.D. Chair Center for Devices and Radiological Health, FDA

Betty W. Collins Center for Devices and Radiological Health, FDA

W. Don Galloway, Ph.D. Center for Devices and Radiological Health, FDA

Carol M. Lee Center for Devices and Radiological Health, FDA

Charles Somerville Center for Devices and Radiological Health, FDA

James L. Morrison, M.S. Chair Center for Devices and Radiological Health, FDA

Lawrence J. Furman, D.D.S. Office of the Chief Dental Officer, U.S. Public Health Service

Lireka P. Joseph, Dr. P.H. Center for Devices and Radiological Health, FDA

William G. Kohn, D.D.S. National Institute of Dental Research, NIH

Max Lum, Ed.D. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

D. Gregory Singleton, D.D.S. Center for Devices and Radiological Health, FDA

Stanford E. Hamburger, D.D.S. Chair Center for Devices and Radiological Health, FDA

Thomas J. Callahan, Ph.D. Center for Devices and Radiological Health, FDA

Stephen B. Corbin, D.D.S. National Center for Prevention Services, CDC

Jeffrey S. Gift, Ph.D. Environmental Criteria and Assessment Office, EPA

Peggy M. Hamilton Center for Devices and Radiological Health, FDA

Annie M. Jarabek Environmental Criteria and Assessment Office, EPA

Mark McClanahan, Ph.D. National Center for Environmental Health and Injury Control, CDC

Kevin Tonat, M.P.H. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH

James S. Benson, Chairman Center for Devices and Radiological Health

William T. Allaben, Ph.D. National Center for Toxicological Research

Joseph S. Arcarese, M.S. Center for Devices and Radiological Health

Catherine W. Carnevale, D.V.M. Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition

Joy A. Cavagnaro, Ph.D. Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research

Joseph F. Contrera, Ph.D. Center for Drug Evaluation and Research

Robert J. Scheuplein, Ph.D. Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition

Leonard N. Schechtman, Ph.D. Center for Veterinary Medicine

Angelo Turturro, Ph.D. National Center for Toxicological Research

Ronald F. Coene National Center for Toxicological Research

Louis F. Cannavale, D.D.S. Indian Health Service

Harlal Choudbury, D.V.D.,Ph.D., DABT Office of Research and Development, EPA

Stan C. Freni, M.D., Ph.D., Dr.P.H. National Center for Toxicological Research, FDA

David W. Gaylor, Ph.D. National Center for Toxicological Research, FDA

David L. Greenman, Ph.D. National Center for Toxicological Research, FDA

Louis H. Hlavinka Center for Devices and Radiological Health, FDA

Everett R. Rhoades, M.D. Assistant Surgeon General and Director Indian Health Service

Thomas Clarkson, Ph.D. Professor and Director Environmental Health Science Center School of Medicine University of Rochester

Robert H. Gray, Ph.D. Assistant Dean for Curriculum and Professor Department of Environmental and Industrial Health School of Public Health University of Michigan

Paul Goldhaber, D.D.S. Dean Emeritus and Professor of Periodontology Periodontal Research Center Harvard School of Dental Medicine

Rolf Hartung, Ph.D., DABT Professor of Environmental Toxicology Department of Environmental and Industrial Health School of Public Health University of Michigan

J. Rodway Mackert, Jr., D.M.D., Ph.D. Professor Department of Dental Materials Medical College of Georgia

Irwin D. Mandel, D.D.S. Associate Dean of Research School of Dental and Oral Surgery Columbia University

John W. Reinhardt, D.D.S. Chairman Department of Operative Dentistry College of Dentistry University of Iowa

Patricia M. Rodier, Ph.D. Senior Scientist Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology School of Medicine and Dentistry University of Rochester Medical Center

Petr Skrabanek, M.D. Professor Department of Community Health Trinity College - Dublin, Ireland