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It's good dental practice to go green for Earth Day
22nd Apr 2010
Today (22 April) is the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, a time for dentists to consider reviewing and renewing efforts to go green in the dental surgery, according to the Eco-Dentistry Association.
Earth Day is celebrated worldwide through events promoting awareness of environmental issues.
In 2010, organisers hope to involve 1.5 billion people in the activities organised by 19,000 organisations in 190 countries.
Climate change legislation is a hot global topic in 2010 and will serve as the focus of an all-star Earth Day rally in Washington DC..
Becoming proactive environmentally by being a green dental surgery will impress your patients by your concern for the environment.
According to figures, 74% of the British population say that more information on a company's social and ethical behaviour would influence their purchasing decisions. (MORI, CSR study 2003)
What can you do in your dental surgery to be green for 2010?
The Eco-Dentistry Association (EDA) – an international association promoting environmentally sound practices in dentistry – is encouraging dentists to do their part to help save the environment.
Outlining the environmental impacts of dentistry, it explains that unbeknown to most practitioners, dental processes and procedures generate significant waste and pollution.
Four processes are responsible for the lion's share of this waste: disposable infection control and sterilisation methods; mercury-containing waste; conventional X-ray systems; and conventional vacuum systems.
At their website – www.ecodentistry.org – the Association says: ‘New products and technologies for cleaner, greener dental practices are emerging, allowing practitioners to eliminate or mediate much of this waste. In many cases, the eco-friendly alternative better serves patient health and saves money.
'The most important environmental initiative for any dental practice is to install an amalgam separator which will filter mercury-containing filling material, preventing it from entering water supplies.
'Pollution-based dental processes, like conventional X-rays, create unnecessary rubbish and toxic chemical-waste that the dental surgery is left to handle and dispose of.
'Technologies like digital radiography, steam sterilisers, and in-surgery bio-waste management systems not only reduce this waste, but eliminate much of it before it is created.'
To help dentists be more environmentally conscious, the EDA has issued a checklist of standards for green dental practices.
The EDA is recommending that dental professionals make the following Earth Day resolutions to reduce waste and pollution:
• Use an amalgam separator
• Practice litter-free infection control
• Detoxify your infection control processes
• Take digital images
• Promote your practice paperlessly
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