Greener Dental Practice Checklist - 3

As Americans become increasingly concerned about the environment,
the demand for sustainable products and services has grown exponentially. From organic produce to hybrid automobiles and green contractors— consumers are demonstrating their commitment to lightening their ecological footprint with their checkbooks.
This trend is beginning to surface in the dental office as well. Many patients are seeking to align themselves with practitioners who show a commitment to improving both their patients’ health and the health of the environment. Businesses that have incorporated sustainable features cite numerous benefits including:
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Whether you are renovating, planning ground-up construction or simply considering ways to be greener in your day to day operations, there are many approaches for creating an office that is more efficient and healthier for you, your staff, your patients and your community. Take a stroll with us through the rooms that populate a typical dental practice and learn both the big and the small steps you can take to reduce your environmental impact and join the growing number of practitioners who are seeing green!

Set your computers to enter system standby or hibernate after 30 to 60 minutes of inactivity and set monitors to enter sleep mode after five to 20 minutes of inactivity. Utilize recycled or Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper products for your office business cards, letterhead, envelopes, brochures, bags and copy/fax paper.

Ask at your print shop about using healthier soy-based inks for printing your business identity materials instead of the standard petroleum-based ink. Designate and clearly label recycling containers in accessible areas for both patients and staff to encourage resource reuse and recycling. Buy recycled/remanufactured toner and ink-jet cartridges for your office machines. Communicate with electronic files rather than paper ones. Use e-mail to correspond with doctors and patients and to send digital X-rays. Have notepads and message pads made from the unused side of scratch paper, outdated forms or old letterhead. Simply staple stacks together for staff use or have larger quantities padded by a copy center.

Front Office
Save paper, space and time by investing in practice management software to handle billing, treatment plan tracking, and process insurance claims, patient information and consent forms, appointment reminders, and optimize scheduling. Purchase Energy Star rated computers, monitors, copy/fax machines, printers and mailing machines for your office. Equipment with this designation saves you money by using less energy and will last longer because they run at a cooler temperature. Many states also have incentive programs with rebates for selecting these appliances.

Recognition by their patients and community as an environmental leader Strengthened bottom line through operating efficiencies Improved employee health and morale Marketing edge over their competition More opportunities to further increase productivity and reduce costs

Your Henry Schein Dental Sales Consultants can provide further information and assistance. For details, call

800-645-6594.

Greener Dental Practice Checklist

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Greener Dental Practice Checklist