Green Dentistry: Addressing global challenges and promoting prevention

The lingering effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, along with geopolitical tensions and climate-related catastrophes, continue to reshape the global economy—and healthcare is one of the most affected sectors. In 2025, the dental industry faces rising costs, disrupted supply chains, and workforce shortages—all issues that mirror the wider pressures on healthcare systems around the world.

These challenges highlight the urgent need to adapt and innovate. More recent crises, including military conflicts that continue, have additionally exposed the fragility of many health systems. This has led to a growing recognition of the importance of resilience— not only in responding to emergencies but also in creating sustainable infrastructures that can withstand future crises.

Consequently, preventive care and digital health solutions are emerging as key strategies for reducing the burden on overstretched systems, offering a proactive approach to managing both economic and health-related challenges. Such shifts are not only practical—they are also essential to achieving sustainability in healthcare. By focusing on both resilience and prevention, the health sector—including dentistry—can move towards a model that balances immediate needs with long-term stability. This dual focus—addressing current challenges while preparing for the future—marks a critical turning point in rethinking how health systems should operate.

The shift towards preventive care

The shift from surgical to preventive dental care is a medical necessity that also represents an economic and environmental opportunity. Preventive care aligns with the broader goals of sustainable healthcare and offers practical solutions to many of the challenges facing the dental industry today, from escalating costs to resource inefficiencies. Central to this approach is the potential to reduce the need for costly interventions. By prioritising the early detection and prevention of oral disease, healthcare systems can allocate resources more strategically, reducing financial pressures and improving outcomes. This strategy is particularly important in fragile economies or conflict-affected regions, where the burden on health systems can be overwhelming.

Technology is a driving force in this transformation. Tools such as teledentistry have proven invaluable for remote consultations and early diagnosis, bridging gaps in access to care. Beyond convenience, these innovations also minimise the environmental footprint associated with in-person visits, making preventative care both practical and sustainable.

A key step in consolidating this shift is the integration of oral health into primary-healthcare systems. Such integration promotes a holistic approach to patient care, ensuring that oral health is no longer considered in isolation, but as a vital component of overall health. This model not only improves the cost-effectiveness of care but also benefits communities with limited resources by providing more accessible and comprehensive health services, resulting in better approaches to green dentistry.

Economic impact and green dentistry

Green dentistry, with its dual focus on prevention and environmentally responsible practices, can serve as a model for this shift. Prevention offers not only cost savings but also significant societal benefits. For example, studies show a return of 14 euros for every one euro invested in preventive healthcare, which clearly demonstrates its financial viability. In addition, every hour spent on professional periodontal care can save 17 euros in general-healthcare costs.

Despite this, prevention remains underfunded in many national budgets. This is a missed opportunity to reduce the economic burden of advanced disease and to lower long-term healthcare costs.

Sustainable dental practices enhance these benefits by reducing resource consumption and environmental impact. Energy-efficient equipment, biodegradable materials, and waste-reducing technologies enable practices that balance financial goals with environmental responsibility. Such investments not only reduce operating costs but also enhance the reputation of dental-care providers in an increasingly eco-conscious society.

As a result, policymakers have a key role to play in expanding these efforts. Incentive structures that reward preventive and sustainable care, as well as fiscal reforms that exclude investment in prevention from debt calculations, can enable health systems to prioritise long-term gains over short-term constraints. By reframing prevention as a strategic investment rather than a cost, governments can promote a healthcare model that is economically and environmentally sustainable.

Technological advances further support this vision. Artificial intelligence and machine learning enable early risk detection and personalised prevention strategies, increasing efficiency while conserving resources. Integrating oral health into broader public-health campaigns amplifies these efforts, positioning dentistry as a cornerstone of both systemic health improvement and sustainable economic development.

Ultimately, the convergence of prevention, green dentistry, and innovative policy represents a transformative opportunity. By adopting a proactive approach that prioritises sustainability, healthcare systems can evolve into resilient models that benefit patients, providers, and the planet alike.

Sustainable technologies and practices in modern dental care

Sustainability in dental care goes beyond preventive strategies to include environmentally friendly practices and the use of innovative materials. Across the industry, there is a growing shift towards biodegradable and non-toxic materials that reduce the environmental footprint of dental waste. For example, the use of biodegradable disposables and sustainable packaging for supplies is becoming standard in many environmentally conscious dental practices.

Efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of dental clinics are therefore gaining momentum. Investment in energy-efficient equipment, such as LED lighting and solar panels, reflects a commitment to greener operations. In addition, the implementation of innovative water-saving technologies—such as closed-loop water systems and waterless vacuum units—addresses both environmental concerns and the need to manage limited resources effectively.

The choice of materials—particularly in implant dentistry—therefore plays a key role in promoting sustainability. Prioritising materials that require less energy and water to produce, such as zirconia, helps to minimise greenhouse-gas emissions while maintaining clinical efficacy. The use of recyclable or biodegradable materials further reduces waste, making them an integral part of eco-conscious dental care.

By integrating these technologies and practices, the dental industry can actively contribute to global sustainability goals. This dual focus—reducing resource consumption while delivering high-quality care—highlights the potential for dentistry to lead by example in creating a greener healthcare model.