Any pregnant dentists out there?

Just wondering if there are any pregnant dentists out there who are still practicing.  I'm just curious about certain occupational exposures and their effects on pregnancy and views concerning this.  Thank you.

[pertykitty]

are you a dentist? when i was an rda i was pg. i made acylic temps, took xrays, everything. we all did. just making sure to wear our masks ALL the time when using materials. and gloves for everything.

[Me2mommy2b]

Hi, I'm an RDH and although I don't practice anymore, I was around pregnant DMDs/DDSs quiet a few times.  I'm sure you know not to be around x-rays too much.  Make sure you don't expose yourself to hazardous materials (but you would know that) other than that, I can't think of anything else.  The only thing is that I would assume that your belly will be in the way once you get to the last months.

[pertykitty]

when taking xrays and pg, you wear a sheild that covers front and back. with that, not being in the room and the limited amount of exposure , youre fine. i worked with a dds that was pg twice, everything was fine. other than the smells werent the best for sickness at times lol. one of the pg girls couldnt stand the smell of the autoclave.

[peachsnapple]

Hi guys.  Thank you for replying. I was wondering if you know how many days a week the pregnant dentists worked, if they worked during the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd trimester, and if they removed a lot of amalgam fillings.  I work 5 days a week and I am constantly working around mercury (removing and placing amalgams).  In some major countries, they have banned amalgam fillings from use on pregnant patients.  I always give my pregnant patients a choice of fillings here in the U.S. and explain differences between.  Dentists get higher mercury exposure and accumulation in the tissues than most people.  I lost a baby this month (m/c), and I want to miminize my risks to the next one if I get pregnant again. My concern is not so much for myself, but for the unprotected fetus. I have read a lot of overseas research articles regarding this.  I was just wondering if U.S. female dentists have given it much thought and limited their practice during pregnancy.  In the U.S. we do place amalgam fillings on pregnant patients (it's not banned or discouraged here).  So, my concern is not about whether amalgam is safe for the general population, but rather the safety of its every day use by dental personnel while pregnant.  I would normally wear a special mask while removing them, but it is  rather frightening looking =)