TePe explains how dental practices can adopt a more sustainable approach and discusses its own developing sustainability strategy.
The global healthcare sector is responsible for around 5% of greenhouse gas emissions (Seppänen, 2024). With the increasing demand for care from patients, it is predicted that this figure will continue to grow unless there is a significant change in how healthcare providers operate. As a result of this figure, many dental professionals are consciously looking for solutions to better their environmental footprint.
Several attainable methods can be implemented to achieve this goal.
Reducing single-use plastics
Promoting the adoption of reusable and/or biodegradable products is a vital step to improving sustainability in a dental practice. Although it is not always possible to find such dental products that remain suitable for use in clinic, TePe encourages all healthcare professionals to educate patients on how they can select and use sustainable dental products at home.
TePe offer a range of dental products that afford customers multiple-use and/or sustainably sourced cleaning solutions. These products include, but are not limited to:
- TePe Interdental Brushes have been manufactured using high-quality, traceable bio-resin, allowing for these products to last through multiple cleaning sessions at home (provided the product has been correctly used and cleaned between each use)*
- The TePe Choice Toothbrush allows customers to replace the plastic brush head, rather than purchasing a new toothbrush every three to four months. The handle, on the other hand, is made from Swedish-grown beechwood and ISCC-certified plant-based material. By encouraging patients to opt for a sustainable toothbrush, such as TePe Choice, plastic waste is reduced by 80% compared to the average plastic toothbrush
- TePe GOOD Brushes offer patients a selection of brush heads – either regular soft, compact or mini. These toothbrushes are made from 96% bio-based plastic, which offers an alternative to other plastic-based brushes available on the market. The filaments are made from bio-based polyamide, meaning they are made from renewable resources, in this case, castor oil.
*Please note – TePe Interdental Brushes are suitable for multiple uses at home, not within a clinic via the use of an autoclave.
By educating patients, healthcare professionals will not only strengthen community and patient engagement (by raising the ecological profile of the clinic) – but can also reduce the patient’s individual contribution to the overall figure of emissions created by the healthcare industry.
Preventative care at home
One of the most effective ways to reduce emissions is by encouraging effective at-home-care methods and solutions to patients. Not only will this benefit the individual patient in terms of cost, and physical (and mental) wellbeing, but it will also strengthen community and patient engagement (whilst also raising the ecological profile of the clinic). By reducing the need to visit the clinic for emergency procedures, less fuel will be used to travel to and from the clinic and less energy used within the clinic itself.
Correct disposal and recycling of dental Materials
Dental practices can vastly improve their environmental impact by recycling wherever possible and correctly disposing of waste. As per common regulations, all dental practices should segregate waste at the source. Hazardous waste, such as amalgam, X-ray chemicals, and ‘sharps’, must always be handled separately from non-hazardous waste. Likewise, practices should identify (in office and clinic), which materials can be recycled and separate them accordingly. These materials include certain plastics, paper, cardboard, and metals.
Amalgam waste
One way to reduce dental pollution is by installing amalgam separators in clinic. Amalgam separators capture mercury and other metals before they enter the wastewater system and risk polluting local waterways.
The captured amalgam should then be stored in airtight containers and sent to a local specialised recycling facility. Partnering with a recycling company that can process amalgam waste ensures that all toxic metals are safely extracted and reused.
X-ray waste management
It is recommended that dental practices using traditional film-based X-rays should consider updating their equipment to digital radiography. By updating X-ray machinery, dental practices will eliminate the need for chemicals and film, which reduces hazardous waste. What’s more, by opting for a modern alternative to traditional X-rays, clinics will reduce spend and energy consumption.*
While it is recommended that clinics update machinery, TePe understands that this may not be possible in all dental practices. As such, those using traditional X-ray film should investigate the option of installing silver recovery units to reclaim any excess silver from X-ray processing chemicals before disposal.
Dental practises should also take care to safely dispose of lead foil as it is considered hazardous waste. Instead, it should be recycled through a permitted facility. Lead foil from radiographic films is extremely toxic and can persist in soil for many years, continuing to exert adverse health effects. Therefore, it is crucial to handle and dispose of it properly to avoid environmental contamination.
*For more information on energy consumption and costs, please refer to your energy provider.
Energy and resource efficiency
While renewable energy sources such as solar panels offer clinics the choice to use renewable energy, it is understood that this is not always a viable option. Nevertheless, there are several sustainable solutions that dental practices can adopt which not only reduce the individual clinic’s environmental footprint but can also lead to cost savings in the long term.
Energy-efficient equipment
Practices looking to reduce their energy consumption should consider replacing older dental equipment with modern, energy-efficient alternatives. These may either use less power during operation or that are simply more energy efficient.*
*Please contact your supplier for the latest Energy Star-rated appliances and devices available to you.
LED lighting
Although fluorescent lighting consumes less energy than incandescent bulbs, it is believed that both lighting choices are less than efficient when it comes to reducing your energy consumption in clinic. It is widely recognised that LED lights offer a longer lifespan and consume up to 90% less energy than CFLs and incandescent bulbs – making them the ideal choice for environmentally-conscious dental practices.
Water conservation
It is recommended that all practices consider updating taps, toilets, and dental chair-side sinks with low-flow fixtures to reduce water consumption where possible/needed. Similarly, water recycling systems such as chair-side water lines can be implemented.
Implementing digital records
In the last decade, many dental practices have opted to store files and communicate with patients electronically, but there are still many clinics that prefer to use physical paper filing systems. Although TePe understands that each clinic is different and has unique preferences, it would like to kindly remind healthcare providers of the benefits of digital alternatives.
By transferring from paper to digital records, the need to print, store, or dispose of paper/confidential records is reduced. Not only do digital records reduce the demand for paper – leading to fewer trees being cut down and less energy used in production – they can also offer clinics more physical storage space.
Although TePe understands that some clients may prefer to receive letters via the post, it would recommend encouraging these patients to opt for digital client communications where possible. Digital client communications can include appointment reminders, and invoices via email, phone call, or SMS. TePe also allows professionals to utilise the ‘Tepe Product Recommendation Tool’. As a dental professional, you can use this tool to recommend TePe products and specific cleaning instructions via an interactive email.
TePe’s evolving approach to sustainability
TePe is on an evolving journey to better its environmental footprint throughout all processes involved – including the designing, manufacturing, distributing, and marketing of our products. TePe currently implements ‘mass balance’ within its manufacturing process. Mass balance is a methodology used to track materials and energy use throughout the production process.
As such, TePe always look to source more sustainable materials wherever possible – meaning that many of its products are made using bio-resin. TePe believes that this provides an alternative to the traditional plastics used in dental practices and hygiene products.
Visit TePe to learn more about mass balance and the materials used in manufacturing its products.
This article is sponsored by TePe.
