Technology for sustainable dentistry – dental news and updates

Technology for sustainable dentistry - dental news and updates

Sustainable dentistry is of growing importance to dental professionals and patients alike – here’s how technology can improve a practice’s environmental impact.

There is a growing need for practice owners to consider sustainability in the delivery of dental care. Dentistry’s environmental impact is a concern, and any changes to everyday practice to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint are welcome.

The climate crisis can also be an influencing factor in the choices patients make in their care. This means practices should be in step with current thinking if they are to meet expectations for a greener environment.

According to the FDI World Dental Federation: ‘Improvements in oral health and wellbeing can be gained through prevention, screening and monitoring of systemic health conditions in environmentally friendly practices’. Consideration should be given to time, materials, workforce, and equipment.

Condensing treatment

One of the key elements of best practice in terms of sustainable dentistry is providing multiple procedures in one visit. This includes a greater use of high-end technologies (CAD-CAM and intra-oral scanning) to help reduce the number of appointments and transport to laboratories.