What is the environmental footprint of a dental practice? A life cycle analysis (Part 1).

Abstract

Introduction Growing awareness of environmental sustainability is essential. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's report stresses urgent carbon reductions to limit global warming to 1.5 °C. The NHS in all four countries of the UK aims to be net zero. Dental practices must prioritise sustainability for public health. This paper uses life cycle analysis (LCA) where possible to study a dental practice's environmental footprint.Methodology LCA methodology was used where possible to calculate the carbon footprint (CFP) of a full-time dental clinic operating 220 days/year. The Ecoinvent database and OpenLCA software were used to calculate greenhouse gas emissions, normalised factors and disability-adjusted life years. Attributional and spend-based approaches were used to analyse procurement items.Results Compared with our 2015 paper, the 2023 CFP, which used more current impact factors, shows reduced water use emissions and increased total waste emissions. Staff travel and patient travel continues to significantly impact the CFP.Discussion Addressing waste and promoting low-carbon transport within the dental practice is crucial. Procurement's impact requires detailed analysis. Normalised scores highlight the environmental impact compared to an average person.Conclusion The CFP of a dental practice was updated using more current impact factors to reinforce the high contribution of travel within the dental CFP, with an increase in the CFP of waste and a reduction in the CFP of water.