FDI Launches Consensus Statement on Sustainable Oral Healthcare

FDI World Dental Federation launched its inaugural Consensus Statement on Environmentally Sustainable Oral Healthcare, aimed at moving the oral healthcare sector towards more environmentally friendly practices that ultimately reduce the carbon footprint of the profession. The statement was released at a special summit bringing together leading figures from industry, health professionals, academic experts, legislative authorities, and dental associations.

"It will come as a surprise to many people that the healthcare sector is responsible for around five per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, of which oral healthcare is an important contributor," said Prof. Ihsane Ben Yahya, FDI President. "The dental industry has a collective responsibility to reduce its environmental impact and today's Consensus Statement is the first major step to achieving that."

Oral healthcare contributes to the environmental burden through air pollution from CO2 associated with travel and transport, incineration of waste, lack of recyclable packaging, the greenhouse gas impact of anaesthetic gases such as nitrous oxide, and the high consumption of water. The Consensus Statement identifies the complex drivers that underpin current behaviours and recommends remediation strategies based on the 4 Rs: Reduce, Recycle, Reuse and Rethink.

"Prevention is better than cure and it is the most impactful and practical way of reducing the need for clinical interventions and associated environmental impacts," said Prof. Nicolas Martin, Chair of the FDI Sustainability in Dentistry Task Team. "When treatment is required, oral healthcare should focus on the provision of durable fillings, using high-quality products and materials that will last longer and/or require fewer replacements."

The Consensus Statement is supported by a concise commentary, Sustainable Oral Healthcare – A Joint Stakeholder Approach, published in the International Dental Journal. The project is supported by founding partners Colgate, GSK Consumer Healthcare, Dentsply Sirona, Procter & Gamble, and TePe, and will result in a Code of Good Practice providing guidelines for achieving sustainable procurement and supply procedures across the dental supply chain.