[Sustainable dentistry - Part I: Sustainability and pre-workplace management].

Abstract

Sustainability in dental practices is playing an increasingly important role. External and internal factors have an influence on the emissions of a practice. The external factors include the domains of politics, science, and education. It is eminent that the discussion on the environmental impact in healthcare finds its way into these three domains, as it lays the foundation for behavioural change and thus paves the way for a greener future. The internal factors include practice operations, supply chain, employees, and patients. Overall, the topic of sustainability is hardly prevalent in the dental workplace. This first article of a two-part series highlights how sustainability in dentists' practices and work is influenced by many environmental factors which, taken together, can affect the interplay between the environment and dentistry.