Office providing SMART certified protocols to our patients.
Dr. Pint is SMART Certified — What That Means For You
If you have mercury amalgam fillings and you’re considering having them removed, the most important question you can ask any dentist is: “Are you SMART certified?”
Dr. Pint is.
SMART stands for Safe Mercury Amalgam Removal Technique — a rigorous program created by the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT). It’s the gold standard for protecting patients, staff, and the environment during amalgam removal.
Here’s why it matters: traditional amalgam fillings contain mercury. When a filling is drilled out, mercury vapor is released. Without the proper protocols, that vapor can be inhaled by the patient — and the effects of mercury exposure are well documented.
Dr. Pint has been SMART certified since 2011 — one of the first dentists in Southwest Florida to achieve this designation. Every amalgam removal at Bonita Dental Studio follows the complete SMART protocol, every single time. No shortcuts. No exceptions.
When you choose Dr. Pint for amalgam removal, you’re choosing a dentist who has made your protection his priority for over a decade.
Dr. Roger Pint- SMART CERTIFIED since 2011, protecting patients during amalgam removal
Your Protection During Amalgam Removal — What We Do For You
At Bonita Dental Studio, every amalgam removal follows the strict IAOMT SMART protocol. Here’s exactly how we protect you during the procedure:
Before we begin:
- You rinse and swallow a slurry of activated charcoal or chlorella to bind any mercury before it enters your system
During the procedure:
- A non-latex nitrile dental dam is placed and sealed in your mouth — blocking mercury from reaching your throat
- Fresh air or oxygen is delivered through a nasal mask so you never breathe mercury vapor
- A saliva ejector sits under the dam continuously removing fluids
- An at-source oral vacuum with mercury filter, captures mercury aerosol the moment it’s released
- Copious water irrigation keeps heat down — heat increases mercury vapor
- The filling is sectioned into large chunks and removed carefully — minimizing the amount of drilling and vapor produced
After removal:
- Your mouth is thoroughly flushed with water
- You rinse again with activated charcoal or chlorella to capture any remaining mercury
Every single step exists for one reason — your safety. This is what SMART certification means in practice.