Green dentistry: a systematic review of ecological dental practices

Sunali S. Khanna () and Prita A. Dhaimade
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Sunali S. Khanna: Nair Hospital Dental College
Prita A. Dhaimade: Nair Hospital Dental College

Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, 2019, vol. 21, issue 6, No 1, 2599-2618

Abstract: Abstract As climate changes become more evident, humans have become more ecologically conscious. The focus has shifted from merely development, to reducing our footprint on the environment and bringing about sustainable development. The concept of “sustainable development” emphasizes on development along with conservation of natural resources to meet the needs of the future generations. This principle can be successfully incorporated in the healing profession of dentistry. A comprehensive electronic data search was conducted in Google Scholar and PubMed search engines to identify articles instilling the concept of sustainability in dentistry. Only original studies and review articles published in English were considered for the following systematic review. Five hundred and ninety-eight results were obtained from the electronic database search, of which 66 fulfilled the eligibility criteria and were included in the study. Forty-seven of these were review articles and 19 were original studies. A number of organizations offer knowledge, membership, standards and best practices to dentists willing to adopt and practice eco-friendly dentistry. The concept of “Green Dentistry” incorporates the 4 R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rethink. While on one the hand simple substitutions and changes can curb wastage, in some other cases it may take a little extra effort or money to adopt sustainable development in dentistry. Dental professionals throughout the world are collectively working to reduce the environmental impact of dental practice. The efforts of every green dental surgeon and green dental practice are transforming the dental industry by adopting the model of green dentistry.

Keywords: Green dentistry; Recycle; Eco-friendly dentistry; Sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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DOI: 10.1007/s10668-018-0156-5

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