Countries across Africa are being urged to speed up efforts to phase out mercury-containing dental fillings because of the risks they pose to human health and the environment. The move follows an international commitment to phase out dental amalgam by 2034, under the Minamata Convention on Mercury. Health and environment experts have been meeting in Senegal to discuss safer alternatives, training for dental professionals and the safe disposal of mercury-containing waste. To discuss what this means for African countries, we spoke to Dr Yuka Makino, Technical Officer for Oral Health at the World Health Organization's Regional Office for Africa.