Green Dentistry: Practices and Perceived Barriers Among Dental Practitioners of Chandigarh, Panchkula, and Mohali (Tricity), India

Abstract

Introduction: Dental professionals have a responsibility to conserve natural resources and to eliminate/reduce toxic wastes from their practices that could harm human health and environment. Aim: To investigate the implementation of eco-friendly dental office strategies by the dentists of tricity (Chandigarh, Panchkula, and Mohali). Materials and Methods: Self-designed questionnaires were distributed to 120 Indian Dental Association registered dentists. Descriptive statistics and cross tabulations were calculated using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 20.0 software. Results: Most of the dentists followed eco-friendly dental practices including the alternatives to amalgam filling (98%), use of light-emitting diode bulbs (91%), unplugging electronic devices when not in use (96%), use of steam sterilization with cloth instrument wraps (93%), using reusable lab coats (89%), and using digital radiography (78.6%). The most frequently identified barriers to implementation of eco-friendly dental office strategies were cost and lack of incentives from the government. Conclusion: Eco-friendly practice implementation by dentists is at its stage of infancy. There is a need for creating awareness among dentists regarding eco-friendly dental practices through formal and continuing dental education.

Keywords

• Dental professionals
• eco-friendly
• green dentistry
• questionnaire