From ABC news...
Recently, an Ohio news station ran a report on the potential risks run by outsourcing to foreign laboratories. The FDA and the ADA issued statements in response to the allegations of potentially unsafe amounts of lead found in some imported restorations.
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Chris Collier has been a patient of Dr. Dave Rummel for 30 years.
When it comes to teeth, Collier is more concerned about his health than his smile.
"The reason I come here is because I know I can trust the dentist I have," Collier said. "I know I can get good workmanship."
Rummel is one of the few dentists in central Ohio who makes his own crowns, bridges and dentures, but most other dentists rely on outside dental labs, 10 Investigates' Lindsey Seavert reported. The labs can be down the street or even overseas, increasingly outsourcing work to India, Mexico and China. Chinese imports, like jewelry and toys, have been under heavy scrutiny for the last year because of lead concerns.
The dental community is concerned that unsafe metals have reached their industry, too.
"It's one thing if it's a toy a child plays with for 20 minutes. It's another thing if it is somebody's mouth for a lifetime," Rummel said. "There is an issue here."
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You can read the article in it's entirety here.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration - http://www.fda.gov/
American Dental Association - http://www.ada.org/
-Eric P.
