P2: Dental Practices Background

There are more than 120,000 dental offices in the United States (source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2008). Environmental improvements in this sector can reduce consumption of energy and water, and at the same time reduce operating expenses. In addition, dental offices can help reduce environmental mercury by implementing best management practices for amalgam.

Managing dental amalgam is a very important part of being an environmentally-friendly dental office. Dental amalgam is used to fill, or restore teeth that have cavities. Dental amalgam (or "silver-colored filling") is a durable metal alloy comprised of silver, copper and tin, in addition to mercury, which binds these components into a hard, stable substance.

Amalgam is a concern because mercury from dental office waste is often discharged to publicly owned treatment works (POTWs). In 2003, a study contracted by the American Dental Association (ADA) estimated that 50 percent of mercury entering POTWs was from dental offices. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calculated this to be approximately 3.7 tons of mercury released each year to POTWs.

Dentists can recover amalgam with the use of traps, filters, screens and separators, and send it to a licensed amalgam recycler.

Review the ADA's Best Management Practices for more information on amalgam waste.

Watch the following best management practices training videos from the ADA:

• Background and Introduction (to the ADA's best management practices)
• Handling Amalgam Waste, Choosing a Recycler
• Types of Amalgam Waste
• Separators, Line Cleaners and Capsules

Great strides have been made by the dental industry in other areas of environmental performance. In Oregon, the U.S. Green Building Council recognized Dr. Jason McMillan, DDS as the first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified dental practice. Dr. McMillan achieved this status by incorporating many water and energy saving techniques, selecting eco-friendly furnishings, laundering on-site, and even encouraging employees to bike to work. Many suggestions for reducing wastes and costs in dental practices are presented in the following sections.

Adopting and promoting green dental practices may also attract customers, according to a 2007 study by the consulting firm Natural Logic, Inc. for the Eco Dentistry Association that compared the annual new patient revenues at an eco-friendly dental office to traditional offices.  The study also suggested that existing patients at eco-friendly dental offices are more likely to refer new patients.

continue to Dental Practices Operations

Other Dental Practices sections:

return to P2 Business Sectors