Terms like “green” and “eco-friendly” are often used these days. They can indicate many different things, like sustainability, renewability, nontoxicity, energy efficiency, reduced carbon footprints and a whole lot more. Such concepts are now seen in various industries. According to Broomfield dentist Colorado Healthy Smiles, we are looking at a brand new health care model that is based on understanding the fact that environmental and human health are linked.
Health professionals are serving as advocates, stewards and environmental educators. Eco-friendly and green health is going way beyond the widespread Hippocratic oath, making health professionals do much more “good”. The idea is to basically focus on precaution, wellness, education and prevention so that patient, community and environment health can be improved.
Green health is a rather broad concept that encompasses green building and the design of offices and hospitals.
Why Building Sectors?
Some facts you need to remember include:
- The use and construction of US buildings consume around 3.5 tons of materials every single year while generating a huge amount of waste. This actually makes out up to 40 percent of the municipal solid waste, all coming from demolition and construction.
- The World Health Organization reported in 1984 that around 30 percent of the remodeled and new buildings around the world are linked to SBS
Why The Health Care Sector?
Most health care settings from around the world, like extended-care facilities, medical offices, dental offices and hospitals, use persistent bio-accumulative (PBT) toxins like lead, VOC, DEHP and mercury, together with numerous other harmful elements and chemicals.
Health care offices and facilities are now spending over $8.5 billion every single year on energy alone. Medical waste generation in North America is around 6 lbs per person every single year. Over one million tons appear per year.
Changes Are Needed
The dental community needs to understand that it is its obligation to follow suit as a huge member of the large health care community. Eco-Friendly Dentistry emerged because of this. This is actually a term that was initially trademark by the very first dental practice that was green in the US, ORA Dental Studio.
How can we define Eco-Friendly Dentistry?
- This is practically a brand new practice of dentistry that encompasses a devotion to prevention, sustainability, minimally invasive patient-centric approach, precaution and global-centric philosophy in treatment.
- Eco-friendly dentistry uses green operations and designs so as to protect the health of the patient, together with all team members. This is always linked to surrounding community health, global community health and natural resources.
Eco-friendly practices implemented in a dental office do involve many protocols, materials, procedures, methods and equipment. However, this should not be daunting. It can easily be accomplished with the use of incremental, small steps. You can start with the Eco-Dentistry Association if you want to go green and gradually take the steps needed to make the change. This is going to take some time as practice and experience are needed. It is possible though and you can so easily turn your dental office into a true eco-friendly practice if you take it slow.
Article Submitted By Community Writer