Making dentistry more sustainable
The resources we use today are important to many areas of our lives, including work, transport, schools, government, technology and many more. These will also be important to people living 10, 50 or 100 years in the future. The problem is, they might run out by then.
Flying Smiles has considered three areas of sustainability:
Economic
I encourage clients to replace their toothbrush every 3 months. By using a bamboo brush, you can then compost it at the end of its life, instead of it going into landfill!
Flying Smiles wants to work with dental strategists to review dental procedures, keeping standards high, but reducing waste. Economics should provide the greatest amount of well-being using the least amount of resources.
Environmental
I aim to investigate and use environmentally friendly dental equipment, and have a store of eco-friendly oral hygiene aids in the future. Where possible, I will use products made from renewable resources.
When I did the WWF sustainability questionnaire, transport had the biggest impact on my carbon footprint. My vision is to come to you on a cargo bike for local appointments and by electric car for those further afield.
Social
My training with dementia and vulnerable adults made it clear that loneliness is a big problem. I myself live far away from my immediate family, so appreciate the necessity of social interaction.
I have made my appointments an hour long, which provides time for us to have a chat and be listened to. Dental hygiene then forms a part of overall social well-being in the community.
I am pleased offer a high standard of service and this means a lot of cargo!
Keep an eye out for me on my cargo bike!
If you do not want to pole vault into bamboo, then a compromise is the TePe GOOD™ toothbrush, made from bio-based plastic – without compromising on product quality, efficiency or design. The TePe GOOD™ toothbrush is a user-friendly toothbrush suitable for all. It is made from 96% bio-based plastic. The tapered brush head gives easy access and rounded filaments for gentle and efficient cleaning.
TePe is a privately held Swedish company founded in 1965. It is their vision to bring healthy smiles for life by inspiring good oral health. They aim to raise awareness of preventive dental care, interdental cleaning and the connection between oral and general health. Tepe’s complete portfolio of interdental brushes, toothbrushes, picks and special brushes are used daily by consumers and dental professionals in 60 countries worldwide.
