Spotlight on Sustainable Dentistry
This month, we are excited to shine a spotlight on Sustainable Dentistry with the latest news and projects in the field.
Highlights from our Leadership Fellow in Net Zero/Sustainable Dentistry
Congratulations Dr Jenny Girdler, Leadership Fellow in Net Zero/Sustainable Dentistry for the successful completion of her ambitious programme of work in dentistry education, a collaboration between NHS England Yorkshire & Humber Future Leaders Programme and CSH. This includes a new podcast episode, Sustainability and Oral Surgery, and a range of educational interventions for dental and medical specialties. Jenny will be presenting on the implementation of the 3-day Sustainability in Quality Improvement programme for dental core trainees in Yorkshire for NHSE (was HEE) at the SHARE conference in May 2023.
Learn more about ou Sustainabilty Fellowships and Scholarships here.
Free e-LfH module in Sustainable Dentistry
Environmental Sustainability in Dentistry, our third module for Health Education England e-learning for health platform, is now open to anyone with a UK email address.
The module, funded by the Faculty of Sustainable Healthcare, Health Education England North East, introduces dental care professionals and support staff in primary and secondary care to changes in practice that deliver high-quality care while reducing cost and minimising damage to the environment. It is a recommended resource for the new sustainability requirements in the generic professional content of the dental specialty trainee curriculum.
Lern more about the module here.
Sustainable Dentistry Short Course: Plan Your Project
Ready to take the leap towards sustainability in dentistry? Look no further than our Sustainable Dentistry short course, endorsed by the Yale School of Public Health. It is designed to help you understand why sustainability matters, then help you to ‘green’ your dental practice using case studies from dentistry. The next workshop will be held on 18 October (Wed) 9.00-13.00 BST. Register here to secure your spot!
Re-launch of the Dental Sustainability Network
This month we have seen the re-launch of our Sustainable Healthcare Networks Hub. Dental Susnet aims to bring together dental healthcare professionals, patients and others interested in sustainable dentistry to share ideas and resources for the transformation to a sustainable health service. Find out more about Sustainable Dentistry here and visit our resource library here.
You can also follow Dental Susnet on Twitter and Facebook.
Promising developments in dental education
The General Dental Council (GDC) dental specialty training curriculum now includes the following important aim:
“Recognise and work towards achieving carbon neutrality within the context of understanding the importance of sustainability in design and delivery of services and demonstrating application of these principles in practice”.
The Clinical Guidelines for Environmental Sustainability in Dentistry has been published to support the Irish 2021 Climate Action plan and the UK’s Climate Change Act 2008 NHS target, set in ‘Delivering a Net Zero National Health Service’. The GDC's Preparing for Practice guidance for undergraduate education is reviewing how to embed environmental sustainability into the curriculum. Additionally, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulation will include environmental sustainability under the ‘Well-led’ key question, from autumn 2023. The Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme (SDCEP) has also organised a national, collaborative workshop of key stakeholders interested in sustainable dentistry to discuss current activity and future strategies that can lead to more sustainable oral health.
Launch of the Green Impact Dentistry toolkit
Green Impact is an internationally recognised sustainability learning and awards scheme with practical advice and tips for dental practices who want to improve their sustainability and social responsibility.
Any dental practice in England, Scotland or Northern Ireland can sign-up to take part. You can find out more and register your practice here for free to start making an impact. If you are based in Wales, you should take part in the Greener Primary Care Wales framework, coordinated by Public Health Wales. For more information please get in touch with gidentistry@sos-uk.org.