Happy New Year to You!
Last year we started to try and be kinder to the environment at the practice. There is still a lot to do but we have made a start. So, what progress have we made?
A recent addition to our clinical kit has been the arrival of our digital scanner. This wasn’t brought for environmental reasons if I am honest, but it does help. By taking a scan instead of a conventional impression to make a crown we avoid the need to use silicone impression material and a disposable plastic tray. The crown is then either milled by us in-house or the scan is sent to the lab. As it is made by digital means no plaster models are needed. So, our patients get a more comfortable experience and less non-recyclable consumables are used.
The recyclable electric toothbrush heads didn’t work out too well! They didn’t feel to clean as well and didn’t last too long. So, no luck there. We did make some headway though on interdental brushes. We now stock Curaprox brushes. Although still plastic these brushes are in two parts so you can change the head and carry on using the same handle, so less to throw away.
A quite simple change we have made is with the practice laundry. This was coming back to us in sheets of plastic, which usually ended up in the bin. We have given our laundry a few suit covers which I had lying around in the bottom of the hubbie’s wardrobe and they return our clothes in them.
We already had a lot of plastic cups in stock, so we have changed those yet but plan to soon.
So still more to do but we will keep chipping away at it. The as yet unnamed person is still putting tea bags in the recycling box in the staff room!
What do you plan to try and do this year? Good luck with the new year resolutions!
If you plan to improve you smile this year we will be as always delighted to help.
Here’s to a fab 2020!
Sharon Jardine
