How to embrace sustainability in your practice
Looking for ways to go green in your practice? Sustainability is gaining traction in dentistry, but knowing where to start isn’t always easy. Dr. Donna Hackley shares with Dental Bite how dentists and students can turn eco-conscious goals into real change. We also take a look at how dental practices are getting more productive to offset the high price of overhead.
Enjoying this newsletter? Share it with a friend (or copy this link)
Tooth decay and product promises. Preventing tooth decay is one thing, but can it be reversed once it starts? The New York Times investigates products that claim to do just that and the limited research behind them.
Making payroll easier. Dental practice payroll demands a lot of flexibility. Practices have to manage contractors, bonuses and scheduling changes. The California Dental Association highlights a new payroll solution specifically for dental practices.
Sick of hygiene cancellations? Hygiene cancellations are a frustrating and frequent occurrence for a lot of practices. In an episode of the "Dental Practice Heroes" podcast, Paul Etchison, DDS, talks about how a different approach to a practice's cancellation policy could help.
Oral health in adults with disabilities. Adults with disabilities are more likely to have gaps in their oral care and poor outcomes. New data from CareQuest Institute spotlights the challenges standing in the way of care and ways to improve access for adults with disabilities.
RFK coming for fluoride supplements. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is continuing his campaign against fluoride. The FDA is planning to review and remove fluoride supplements for children from the market.
‘An opportunity to work as sustainably as possible’
How can dentists embrace sustainability in their practices? There are many opportunities, but it can be difficult to figure out where to start.
Donna Hackley, DMD, MA, MPH, is an assistant professor at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. She is actively involved in many sustainability efforts at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine and with organizations like the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) and FDI World Dental Federation. Dr. Hackley spoke with Dental Bite about the growing awareness of environmental sustainability in dentistry and how dental students and practicing dentists can drive more change. -Carrie Pallardy
How do you view the current state of sustainability in dentistry? Can you share some successes in recent years, as well as challenges that remain?
Care for the environment has never been more important. We oral health professionals have a responsibility as well as an opportunity to work as sustainably as possible.
Fortunately, the interest is certainly growing among oral healthcare professionals, dental educators and students, and our patients. One area of success is increased research in peer-reviewed publications on topics like climate impacts on health, life cycle analyses (LCAs) and carbon foot-printing, dental materials and incorporation of sustainability concepts into dental education.
A challenge that remains, which is an opportunity, is that there is not a list of best practices.
How do you see awareness of sustainability of oral healthcare changing in dental education? Are dental students becoming more cognizant of these issues before they launch their careers?
Students are passionate drivers of this change. They understand the urgent need to care for our common home and with fresh eyes they notice ways we can be more sustainable.
At Harvard Medical School, where dental students spend their early years of training, students participated on a team that worked to incorporate sustainability concepts throughout the medical curriculum.
What can practicing dentists do to assess the sustainability of the practices today? How can they adopt impactful strategies to improve sustainability?
A few key areas of action for practicing dentists and their team members include: maximizing disease prevention, practicing good waste management, minimizing energy and water use and facilitating active and public transportation to the office. This is certainly not a complete list and a great place to find more information and tips on getting started is at the FDI World Dental Federation website.
Continue reading the full interview on our website, dentalbite.co
Responses have been edited for brevity and clarity.
Divisions in dentistry
The belief that the hygiene department of a dental practice is not profitable is widely held, but it can actually create an unhelpful division. In an episode of Dentistry IQ's "Gloves Off," Bethany Montoya, MBA, RDH, and David R. Rice, DDS, talk about how dentists and hygienists can work together to provide a more comprehensive, collaborative patient experience.
Why it matters: Dentists and hygienists who build trust and work more closely together have the potential to drive more practice profitability.
Childhood vaccinations at the dentist's office?
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) called for solutions to a declining rate of childhood vaccination during the early days of the COVID pandemic. Researchers suggested that dentists could be part of the solution. The medical-dental integration model has been successful. If it were to expand, more states would need to allow dentists and hygienists to give vaccines.
Why it matters: Increased coordination between medical and dental teams is a frequent topic of discussion, and this model is an example of the possible positive outcomes. (Medical Xpress)
Dentists are getting more productive
Dental Economics and Levin Group Annual Practice Survey revealed that dental practice productivity is up. Average doctor productivity hit more than $1 million, significantly higher than it was in 2023, according to the report. Overhead has been steadily increasing, but this uptick in productivity is helping dentists offset that cost.
Why it matters: The pandemic was a major disruption to the dental industry, but dentists seem to be finding ways to manage the resulting challenges even five years later. This report reveals industry trends and suggestions for driving more profit. (Dental Economics)
- Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee launch new dental hygiene program
- Security strategies for DSOs
- The buzz around probiotic toothpaste
- New research unveils clues to evolutionary changes and dental pain
Don't be a stranger.
💠 Reply to this email to connect with our team.
💠 Forward Dental Bite to your colleagues.
