Green Dentistry: New York City Style
Kenneth M. Schweitzer, DDS 
Dentistry is part of the movement but how can urban dental practices surf this wave when so many of the "sustainable" and "green" decisions are pre-determined and controlled by office building landlords?
Aside from the obvious benefits a rural enterprise can take advantage of (photvoltaics [solar], insulation, recycling water) that an urban renter/lessee cannot control, there are still many ways dental practices in urban office settings can green stamp their business. The first and foremost is for the business to communicate with all staff members its goal of devising a green and sustainable office policy and designing protocols to achieve the goal.
Once the team is on board, whether it be by incentives or admiration of the program, the task of implementation is much easier. Categories may include Low Energy Consumption, Reduced Utilization of Toxic Chemicals, Paperless Conversion, Recycling, Sustainable and Recycled Furniture, Waste Reduction, Innovation, Leadership and Community Interaction. The practice may elect to join the ECO Dentistry Association and become certified in the GreenDoc Program.
An efficient and organized eco-friendly dental practice will be able to address many of the concerns of a increasingly more informed and environmentally knowledgeable client base. Questions the doctors and staff should be acquainted with include:
QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR DENTIST
1. Are you a member of the Eco-Dentistry Association? Is your practice EDA
Certified?
2. Do you offer digital x-rays?
3. Are you a paperless office or do you use paper billing and paper patient
charting?
4. Do you use disposable or reusable cloth patient bibs?
5. Do you use disposable paper cups, paper lab coats, or plastic chair
barriers?
6. How do you dispose of mercury-containing silver fillings?
7. Do you have an amalgam separator installed?
8. Do you have a recycling program in your office?
9. Do you use steam sterilization methods instead of chemical
sterilization?
10. Do you offer salivary diagnostics?
Dr. Schweitzer practices as a Prosthodontist in New York City and teaches Prosthodontics at Montefiore Medical Center/Bronx,NY
really interesting ..
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Thanks for the interest. Many businesses are beginning to understand the importance of embracing these issues.
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