Going ‘Green’ Could Save Dental Practices Money
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- Published: Wednesday, 05 May 2021 09:45
- Written by Chris Tapper
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The World Dental Federation (FDI) has launched an initiative to help reduce the environmental impact of dentistry and the dental industry.
The FDI represents more than one million dentists worldwide. Its new initiative will be backed by Colgate, Dentsply-Sirona, GSK Consumer Healthcare, and TePe, the founding industry partners of the FDI’s project.
A press release by the organisation said “Over the next two years FDI will work collaboratively with its partners and other key stakeholders to map out strategies and implement solutions to help reduce the environmental impact of dentistry and the dental industry.”
“The work will lead to the publication of an FDI Sustainability Code of Practice that provides guidelines and objectives for achieving a sustainable procurement and supply procedure, which will be signed by co-signatories across the supply chain.”
Titled ‘Sustainability in Dentistry, the initiative aims to effect change across the whole of the dental industry and supply chain.
The FDI said “Environmental sustainability in dentistry is multifaceted and involves numerous stakeholders. CO2 emissions, plastics use, waste generation and other environmental impacts are major challenges at all levels of the dental resource supply chain as well as in care delivery.”
“Reducing the impact of the dental profession on the environment will require action and collaboration from many different actors. The four founding partners are part of a pro-active approach to tackling these environmental threats and developing concerted and far-reaching solutions.”
“I am delighted to witness FDI’s Sustainability in Dentistry project evolve into this high-calibre, multi-partner initiative to achieve our sustainability goals for the dental profession,” said FDI President Dr Gerhard K. Seeberger.
“The project’s humble beginnings as a way to encourage oral health professionals and dental practices to ‘think green’ is now moving into a phase of collaboration, action and real results.”
GDPUK took a look at dentistry’s impact on the environment and a few savings that could be made by going ‘Green.’
Dentistry is thought to have a significant environmental impact due to its high use of energy and resources.
UK dental practices use numerous pieces of electronic equipment and consume large amounts of water on a daily basis. Practices also use large numbers of disposable products, including single-use plastic products like cups for patient mouth rinses.
The Decisions in Dentistry website says “According to the Eco-Dentistry Association (EDA) based in USA, dental practices discard approximately 680 million chair barriers, light handle covers and patient bibs, as well as 1.7 billion sterilization pouches each year.”
“Other disposables include gloves, masks, suction tips, saliva ejectors, needles and paper. Much of this waste does not easily decompose.”
“In addition, dental practices generate 4.8 million lead foils, 28 million litres of toxic X-ray fixer, and 3.7 tons of mercury waste each year. Moreover, conventional vacuum systems use up to 360 gallons of water per day.”
Savings
The US-based Eco-Dentistry Association says that dentists can save money by turning ‘green.’
The association said that dental practices could save £1684 ($2337) annually, by replacing disposable Items with cloth items, though it should be pointed out that Health Technical Memoranda (HTM) rules may differ from cross-infection guidelines followed in the US.
It says “Plastic chair barriers, plastic and paper lab coats, and disposable sterilisation pouches can be replaced with a combination of washable cloth items and non-toxic disinfectants. The initial investment in cloth items and washer/dryer unit pays off in 4.9 months, due to a reduction in expenses for disposable items.”
Similarly, the EDA says that practices can save £6,317.26 ($8769) annually by switching to digital X-rays, billing and charting.
The EDA website said “While a digital x-ray system involves an initial investment, practice management software provides digital billing and charting with no initial outlay. Together the two systems eliminate much of the need for paper, they decrease staff time spent filing and processing paperwork and prepping x-rays, and they reduce patient and staff exposure to harmful chemicals and radiation. Within 10.8 months, the initial investment is paid off due to savings in staff time and paper and chemical expenses.”
The American Dental Association has produced a list of ways in which practices could go green, although many of the suggestions wouldn’t be compatible with UK cross-infection guidelines. Some, the UK already complies with.
Among suggestions were investing in solar electric panels and water heaters, and using digital versions of journals and publications.
The ADA also advocated the use of only chlorine-free, high post-consumer recycled paper products instead of traditional paper products, and making it a mandate that disposable, plastic or paper barriers are only used when necessary.
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