“[W]ith every decision we make, we always keep in mind the Seventh Generation to come. It’s our job to see that the people coming ahead, the generations still unborn, have a world no worse than ours and hopefully better.”

-Oren Lyons, Iroquois tribal leader

Dr. Lennie Wong & Kaden

Returning from the Sundance Resort after putting on the industry’s firstGreen Dentistry Conference, I’ve been reflecting on all the wonderful things that went right.  The setting was beyond spectacular: clear, brilliant blue skies, rushing fresh water, breath-taking mountains.  Our speakers were superb:  offering evidence-based insights about everything from the burgeoning market of green dentistry consumers to the latest technical tips on CAD-CAM systems.  The beds were deliciously comfortable and the food deliciously nourishing.

But what has stayed with me?  The images of the children and the pregnant Mothers who were there.  The innocence of a child’s delight in seeing a trout swimming free in a stream, the way a four year old easily navigated an iPad and a soccer ball, the hope evidenced by the women brave enough to bring another child into this world, at this time.

Just days ago, our planet passed a milestone: we’ve succeeded for the first time in human history in dumping so much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere that it now measures 400 parts per million.  This level of saturation of carbon dioxide, the stuff resulting from our continued reliance on petroleum as our primary fuel source, has been called a climate change “tipping point”.  It got me asking whether we’re doing enough to stem the tide of dangerous and irreversible climate change so that the world we leave to our children is, in the words of the Iroquois, “no worse than ours.”

Dr. Charles Cuprill & Family, and EDA Co-Founders Ina & Fred Pockrass

Being in the company of everyone who participated in the Green Dentistry Conference gave me hope not only for the children who were there, but for the children yet to come. I experienced a vibrant, collaborative community of like-minded individuals who do not run from challenges.  I heard inspiring stories of dental offices installing solar panels, dentists eager to create Eco-Dentistry Association chapters in their local areas, hygienists incorporating water-saving tips into their hygiene instruction, companies innovating environmentally-sound products, and offices willing to embrace change even when it means doing things differently from “how we’ve always done it.”

It will take this kind of commitment from every industry if our planet is to recover from the mess we’ve made.  I am filled with gratitude for every person who participated in this conference.  YOU are a part of a movement that is helping dentistry lead the way.

1.  Use an eco-friendly cleaning service: Find a service that uses non-toxic or biodegradable products and reusable methods, like cloth rags that can be washed and used again and again.  Check on-line: commercial green cleaning services are popping up just about everywhere.

2.  Read the warning labels on your surface disinfectant: Select one that the EPA has determined is “Generally Regarded as Safe” (GRAS), and effective against mycobacterium TB, Salmonella, E. Coli, Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Hepatitis, HIV, H1N1, and Influenza. Avoid products containing a “Danger” or “Warning” label.

3. Avoid toxic cleaning products… (kick the bleach!)

There are plenty of non-toxic options on the market and many are made from renewable resources (non-petroleum). Avoid using chlorine bleach at all costs! Bleach is a strong oxidizer, meaning it is highly corrosive and eats through just about anything….like your water lines. And, chlorine bleach can breakdown amalgam particles in waterlines, releasing harmful mercury vapors into your operatories.  When bleach is mixed with some other cleaners, it can create harmful gases resulting in breathing difficulties, vomiting, bloody noses, neurological disorders, headaches…need we go on?

4. Dispose of the toxic stuff responsibly: Many communities hold toxic recycling days and will take these off your hands. Throwing chemicals in the trash or down the drain means they might end up in our water supply or landfills, exactly where we don’t want them! Check Earth911 for toxic take-back programs near you.

5.  Use eco-friendly trash bags: Regular plastic bags are made with petroleum products and can take over 100 years to break down. Sadly, less than 2% of all plastic bags get recycled. Over 100,000 marine animals and 2 million birds die every year from ingesting or being caught up in plastic debris. Choose bags made from recycled plastic or compostable materials.

6. Switch to natural and reusable cleaning wipes, etc.: Paper towels contribute 3,000 tons of waste to our landfills each year, so look for natural fiber sponges and rags to do the cleaning instead. You can wash and re-use your rags, saving money and cutting back on landfill waste.

7. Choose eco-friendly waterline cleaners: Pick a non-corrosive, antimicrobial waterline cleaner for your waterlines. Check out Team Vista, which is a daily irrigant solution derived from organic citrus botanicals.

8. Look for enzymatic instrument soaks:  Enzymatic soaks extend instrument life by reducing chances for discoloration and corrosion. There are enzyme stabilizers that are eco-friendly, and which offer rapid biodegradability and low toxicity. Check out Enzymax Earth from Hu-Friedy. 

9. Conserve water: Reducing your use of water not only preserves this precious resource, but saves on your water bill. Use only what you need, and never leave the faucet running! Make sure to get your patients in on the tip as well and encourage them to join the Save 90 a Day campaign, pledging to turn off the tap while they brush their teeth.

10. Bonus: Improve your indoor air with plants: If anyone knows the importance of fresh air, it’s NASA, who completed research on the best plants for maintaining air quality inside a space station. They recommend one small plant for every 100 sq. feet. Not to mention they’ll improve the look and feel of your office! Check out this list of the best plants for the job.

Happy Spring Cleaning!

Every month, we answer some of your most frequently asked questions surrounding oral health. Wondering why you wake up with bad breath in the morning? Curious how your dentist knows if you’ve been flossing or not? Let us know! We’ll ask our panel of experts to give you the 4-1-1 on everything you need to know so you can take charge of your oral health.

Q:  I heard that Fluoride is bad for you. Is this true?

A: Flouride is an ion with strong evidence showing it inhibits demineralization (weakening) of the tooth structure and actually promotes remineralization (strengthening ) of the teeth.  Stronger teeth better resist decay.  These facts are indisputable.  However,  the scare that many people have with fluoride is not due to the benefits of the ion when used topically, it is often based on the fact that it is put into the drinking water in many places and the ion is ingested without the public having a say.

It is true that in LARGE quantities the fluoride ion can indeed be poisonous (hence the reason your child gets an upset stomach if they eat a large quantity of fluoridated toothpaste!).  Although it has been shown that since water fluoridation has taken place in the United States, tooth decay has decreased by 68%… and over the last 40 years it has also decreased  in countries that choose not to fluoridate their water. Why is this you ask?  Mainly because the topical fluoride found in toothpastes, mouth rinses,  and the treatments we receive at our dentists’ offices is a strong tool against tooth decay!

Another large contributing factor is a society’s diet.  For example, if an individual:

• Has perfect blood sugar
• Has balanced ions of Calcium and Phosphous in the body
• Consumes fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, K
• Minimizes sugar and carbohydrate intake

This person will be at a much lower risk for developing cavities!  If you add in a mouthrinse or topical flouride application to strengthen teeth, you will see even less of a risk for tooth decay.  If you are an individual that does have to minimize ingestion of fluoride for health reasons, don’t fear! Stick to the diet mentioned above, have your blood sugar levels tested and find a natural mouth rinse containing ingredients like vitamin K, Tea Tree Oil, Aloe Vera, and Myrr that naturally decrease inflammation and fight the bacteria that cause tooth decay. And, most importantly,  make sure to see your dentist & hygienist regularly so they can remove tooth-weakening plaque and calculus deposits.

Gena Schultheis, DMD,

Owner of Annapolis Green Dental and proud member of the Eco-Dentistry Association, located in Annapolis, Maryland.

Do you have a question for one of our green dental experts? Share in a comment below or email us at info@ecodentistry.org!

Eco-Dentistry Association Co-Founder Ina Pockass was a guest on The Wellness Hour!

10 Easy-Peasy Tips to Go Green in Your Dental Practice:

• Switch your subscriptions from print to digital

• Ditch the Styrofoam and single-use disposables and bring in reusable mugs, glasses and utensils

• Set office printers and copiers to double-sided

• Ask the last team member that leaves at the end of each day to make sure everything with an “on/off” switch is turned off

• Empty out that drawer of old hand instruments and donate them to a local school art program (sterilized of course!), or recycle them through Hu-Friedy’s Environdent program

• Replace just one incandescent light bulb with a CFL or LED bulb

• Order environmentally friendly office products, such as recycled printer paper or folders

• Bring in a live plant! They help purify indoor air, and help you and your patients connect with nature

• Give patients toothbrushes made from sustainable materials

• Encourage your patients to turn off the tap when they brush, saving 90 glasses of water a day and join our Save 90 a Day campaign!

HAPPY EARTH DAY! How will you celebrate?

Because we have access to some of the greatest minds in dentistry, we’ve decided to launch the “Ask a Green Dentist” series! Every month, we’ll share some of your most frequently asked questions surrounding oral health. Wondering why you wake up with bad breath in the morning? Curious how your dentist knows if you’ve been flossing or not? Let us know! We’ll ask our panel of experts to give you the 4-1-1 on everything you need to know so you can take charge of your oral health.

The doctor is in!

Q:  What are dental sealants, who should get them and how long do they last?

A: A dental sealant is a plastic coating applied to the chewing surfaces of back teeth. Grooves in these teeth are so narrow that a toothbrush cannot fit into the spaces to extract food and plaque completely. Dental sealants can provide great protection against dental decay or “cavities” in those grooves. As long as the sealant remains intact, the tooth surface will be protected from decay. Sealants hold up well under the force of normal chewing and may last several years before a reapplication is needed!

Inna V. Shimanovsky, DMD

AADVANCED DENTAL , located in Oregon City, Oregon.

Do you have a question for one of our green dental experts? Share in a comment below or email us at info@ecodentistry.org!

Greetings from Austin, Texas! I’m David Hennington, an EDA member since 2009 and a practicing general dentist since 1987.  Having experienced the daily physical, mental, and emotional challenges each dental worker bee knows all too well, I have a good idea of the toll our chosen profession can take on both the mind and the body. Fortunately for me, my wife and I walked into a yoga class on the recommendation of a friend in 1998. From that point, my yoga practice has evolved incrementally over the years, from a yoga class once every week or two to the daily yoga and meditation practice it is today.

The benefits of this journey are too numerous to list in the limited space here, but include an improved ability to deal with stressful situations with a greater sense of calm, increased strength and flexibility of both body and mind, and prevention of the onset of most of the musculoskeletal issues associated with being a 50-something dentist.

Interestingly, I have found there are many parallels between the goals and purpose of yoga and the EDA:

• A holistic, wellness focus
• Cultivation of an awareness of how each thought, action, etc. can have a significant short and long term impact
• A desire to break out of conditioned ways of thinking and acting in order to better serve others and our communities as a whole
• An attitude of non-harming towards ourselves, others, and everything else on this crazy rock called Earth

After completing a teacher training program and receiving my certification to teach, I became interested in sharing with others in dentistry all the positive gifts that yoga continues to give me. I have developed sequences that are specifically designed to address many of the physical/mental/emotional issues that are commonly seen with dental personnel (and their partners), and the EDA has graciously asked me to lead classes that use them from 7:30-8:30 am on each morning of the Green Dentistry Conference in May. It will be a great way to start the day and prep you for all the exciting activities the EDA has planned, so come breathe and move with us.

Never been to a yoga class? No problem! It will be friendly for the beginner and seasoned yogi alike, and a great environment for your first yoga experience.

I welcome any questions, comments, or suggestions, so feel free to contact me at doc@tradewindsdental.com.

See you in Utah!

David

There were over 245 million internet users in the United States in 2012 and the average time spent online ranged from 30-40 hours per week (that’s a full time job!).

And guess what? Each one of them has teeth. 

Now is the time for social media to become the core of your marketing strategy, and we’ve got the experts to help you get there. This May at the industry’s first-ever Green Dentistry Conference, we’ve invited the top minds in social media for dentists to share their expertise and help you leverage the opportunities presented by social media marketing. If you’re ready to stand out in your community as the go-to provider of high-tech, wellness based dentistry then you won’t want to miss this.

Here at the EDA we’re particularly excited about how social media supports your ability to meaningfully connect with patients. It’s instant, effective, and allows you to be authentic and to share your unique practice personality. And it’s based on relating (get it, social marketing), so it’s perfectly suited for a relationship-based industry like dentistry. Oh, and did we mention it saves precious resources by eliminating costly and wasteful direct mail and outdated ads in the yellow pages?

It’s time you gave your practice marketing the jump start it needs.  We hope to see you in Sundance!

Register Now for the industry’s first Green Dentistry Conference: May 3-4, 2013

For questions regarding the conference or membership with the Eco-Dentistry Association, contact info@ecodentistry.org or call 510-841-1229 today!

There is, has been or will be a time when we will look at the calendar and notice it is time to think about your continuing education requirements for re-licensure.  I practice in Maryland and we are required to have 30 CEU’s every two years. There are some specific courses we are required to have, but these only amount to about 8 hours or less.

We have all taken those courses on Aesthetic Dentistry where we are shown cases of full mouth restorations with too-white of teeth, or cases with twenty or more implants.  I’m not sure about you, but I can tell you that cases like that don’t walk into my office every day. So, I usually look for courses that I hope will be of use every day for the benefit of my patients. There have been countless courses in oral pathology, treatment planning, and restorative (the real life kind for both fixed and removable). While these are all great topics, my interest was sparked when I came across “Green Dentistry 101: The Case for Green Dentistry; Eco-Friendly Infection Control and Wellness Dentistry” presented by Ina Pockrass, co-founder of the Eco-Dentistry Association.  I thought it would be interesting,  it was close to home and the location had a nice luncheon. So I went.

Ina started off with the basic “Big Picture”.  She explained how our environment is in trouble and emphasized that in our profession, we are in a powerful position to help our patients and the planet. This is where I should inject that I live and practice near the Chesapeake Bay and I am an avid boater. I would love to say that after hearing Ina speak I sold my big polluting powerboat and switched to a sailboat…but alas, I have always had a sailboat!  And believe me, when you are on the water and going four knots you get to see the results of pollution and run off up close and personal.  As a lover of the outdoors and spending time on the Bay, Ina had struck a chord! Things suddenly began to click. How can I do my part?

During the afternoon session, Ina gave us a quiz called, “Are you greener than you think?” Some of the “green” initiatives on the list were already in place at my practice because they made my office run more efficiently. I had a dry vacuum system, steam sterilization, digital x-rays, and electronic records. Even still, I scored just 10 points out of 36 possible and thought, “I am pale green. I can do better!” A couple days later I emailed Ina and we exchanged some emails…and the rest you can say is history. I have continued to implement more and more of the Eco-Dentistry’s suggestions and in doing so I know I offer a better environment for my patients, staff and myself. I am currently working on my GreenDOC™ office certification and I hope that it will be well beyond pale green. I’m hoping to be “as green as Kermit.”  Wish me luck!

Joe Revak, DMD, MAS

Jacksonville, Maryland

We couldn’t be more thrilled to announce the dates for the industry’s first ever Green Dentistry Conference devoted exclusively to high-tech, environmentally sound dental practices.

FRIDAY, MAY 3rd – SATURDAY MAY 4th, 2013

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!

We’ve set out with the goal to make this a one-of-a-kind conference–something never before experienced in dentistry. That’s one reason why we’re so excited to be holding it at the stunning, eco-friendly Robert Redford Conference Center in Sundance, Utah. Have you ever been to a dental conference where you can simultaneously bask in 6,000 square acres of pristine natural beauty? We didn’t think so.

Continuing Education credits will be available and attendance is limited to the first 100 registrants.

The 2013 Green Dentistry Conference^™ will showcase the information and products dental professionals need to create and maintain state-of-the-art green practices. “A” List dental speakers include Gary Takacs of Takacs Learning Center, who will share the essentials of branding and marketing a green dental practice, as well as dental technology gurus Marty Jablow, DMD, Paul Feuerstein, DMD, and John Flucke, DDS who will talk about how dental technologies reduce waste and save energy, and boost the practice bottom line.  A representative from exclusive bank sponsor US Bank will provide valuable information about how practitioners can finance the eco-friendly practice of their dreams.  Bill Roth, noted sustainability author and speaker, will inspire all participants to powerfully take advantage of the rapidly expanding market of eco-minded consumers.

The conference will offer panel discussions on everything from building and financing a high-tech, green dental practice to creating a successful green hygiene program. Unique, small group, hands-on opportunities with dental technology such as lasers and CAD/CAM systems will also be available.

The 2013 Green Dentistry Conference™ will offer attendees something rarely found at dental conferences: promoting the overall health and wellbeing of the dental team. Optional morning yoga and meditation will be available for all attendees and there will be presentations focusing on the importance of work-life balance to support personal and professional success.

On Sunday, May 5, attendees will have the option of hiking in the 6000 acres of  wilderness adjacent to the Sundance Resort, enjoying fly-fishing, golf or the spa.

Customizable sponsorship opportunities are available for companies offering green dental, green building, or wellness products and services.

Discounted early bird registration opens Tuesday, January 22^nd, 2013 at www.ecodentistry.org/?conference. Contact info@ecodentistry.org or call 510-841-1229 for additional details.