As the dental industry moves towards a more sustainable future, there remains much to do if the NHS is to meet its highly ambitious net zero target by 2040. NHS emissions have been cut by 30% since 2010, however analysis published in the BDJ in 2017 found that the carbon footprint of NHS dental services is still the equivalent of powering over 610,000 UK homes.

The Sustainable Dentistry: How-to Guide for Dental Practices from the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare outlines many of the eco-friendly changes expected to be adopted over the next few decades, from travel and dental equipment to energy and waste. Elimination of paper waste, the growth of energy efficient equipment and better insulation of buildings are some of the changes that will be encouraged. There is no shortage of ways practices can strive to be greener. Here are some of of our own hints and tips.