Volume 9 • 2022 • Issue 4

Dental offices consume electricity, much of which is currently generated by technologies that emit CO 2 into the atmosphere. Green energy and energy conservation are strategies that make a big difference in creating greener dental practices. Dental offices consume electricity, much of which is currently generated by technologies that emit CO 2 into the atmosphere. Green energy and energy conservation are strategies that make a big difference in creating greener dental practices. Travel to and from dental appointments also contributes to CO 2 emissions, which makes tele- dentistry a greener option, when it is possible Appropriate legislation and regulation are necessary to create the circumstances in which sustainable dentistry can thrive. The statement suggests that legislation has been an impediment to change at times, but it has the potential to initiate positive change. There is also a need for research into sustainable practices in dentistry that considers every part of the supply chain including both sourcing raw materials and the final return of used products into the ecosystem. Lastly, there is a need to educate people within the oral health system and patients about the environmental impacts of oral health care. “The greatest barrier to the implementation of sustainability is ‘set behaviours and attitudes’ within the profession,” according to FDI, but it also suggests that increasing knowledge and collaboration has the potential to drive change for the better. provision of high-quality, less intense/severe interventions that last longer and do not require revising.” The whole supply chain benefits from a reduction in treatments with direct benefits of less waste and fewer CO 2 emissions. A strong theme in the FDI statement is the need for a circular economy, which would decrease the negative environmental impacts of the oral health supply chain. In a circular economy, manufacturers design products to be reusable. Devices are designed in such a way that they are easier to repair. Raw materials are reused as much as possible, extending their life cycles. A circular economy not only decreases waste, it alsomakes logistical operations more efficient and resilient. The FDI statement highlights many opportunities for companies and organizations to work together to create more sustainable circular supply chains for oral health products, while recognizing the need to maintain high standards of infection prevention and control. Fact • Packaging is the single largest contributor to plastics in the dental industry. More than 90% of it ends up as waste for incineration or in a landfill. Fact • A UK study found that about 21 single-use plastic items were used in each routine adult primary care dental procedure. That plastic has a mean mass of 354 grams. This figure can be extrapolated to a conservative estimate of approximately 2 billion dental single-use plastic items used in the UK each year, or 14.4 tons. During the pandemic, increased PPE caused this figure to grow to about 2.4 billion items. Fact • The estimated global water usage from teeth brushing equals 6,400 Olympic swimming pools per day. Read the full FDI consensus statement: fdiworlddental.org/ sustainability-consensus-statement 21 Issue 4 | 2022 | News and Events