Groups like the Eco Dentistry Association and Envirostars, are helpful resources for guiding you in this transition. There are many changes that can be made in a dental office to reduce waste and harmful environmental impacts. Besides building or remodeling an office with LEED certified, sustainable, recyclable materials, there are many things a practice that is already up and running can do to reduce their impact. Below I outline the most important areas, and specifics on what we as an office have done.
Reduce Harmful Chemicals:
-Digital Xray systems are a must have for most dentists. The diagnostic ability is far superior to traditional Xrays, and there are no harmful chemicals to change and dispose of. You also minimize the exposure to your patients and staff.
-Offices that still use amalgam need to make sure they are trapping and disposing properly of the amalgam scrap which may contain trace amounts of mercury.
In Washington State, the Envirostars program (a FREE service of the local hazardous wast management program) will come to your office and go over areas for improvement and waste management protocols. Offices that can implement some of these improvements can become Envirostar certified.
-There are many “green” disinfectant and cleaning solutions that can be used to spray and wipe down chairs, counter tops, and operatories that are not environmentally harmful.
Reduce Single use and Disposable products
-Plastic barriers and patient bibs which are normally single use landfill waste can be replaced by washable and reusable cotton products. We have added an energystar washer and dryer to the office and now clean and sterilize all our cotton products.
-Instruments such as suction tips, prophy angles, and air/water syringes can be purchases in stainless steel so you can sterilize them rather than throw them away.
-Products such as prophy paste, alginate, acrylics, cements, liners, fluoride, and impression materials can all be purchased in bulk thereby reducing the amount of waste material.
-Many dental products such as impression trays and surgical gauze are being produced with cellulose derivatives which are biodegradable and thereby reduce landfill waste.
Reduce paper waste
-Computerized charting is now the standard of care. In the very near future all patient documents will be stored and updated digitally.
-Set up an office recycling program for paper that is used.
-Set up email correspondence with patients and other doctors to reduce printed materials.
Minimize water and electricity use
-High efficiency Fluorescent bulbs with the proper light spectrum can be purchased and used to lower electricity bills.
-Hand sanitizer can be used instead of continually washing hands and wasting water.
-Lights can be on motion or timed sensors to turn off when not in use.
-Dual flush toilets and low flow faucets can be put in patient and staff bathrooms to minimize water usage.
If every dentist could implement just a few of these protocols, they could greatly reduce their waste and environmental footprint with minimal effort. Talk to your dentist about how easy it is to go green, and feel free to contact me with any questions.
