Dentsply Sirona released a new sustainability curriculum to help dental professionals make practices more sustainable.
Marking the first anniversary of its sustainability strategy, Beyond: Taking Action for a Brighter World, Dentsply Sirona launched its Sustainability Educational Curriculum to help dentists make their own practices more sustainable.
Sustainability in dentistry is now a key challenge for the oral healthcare sector, according to Dentsply Sirona, with a recent study finding that 7 out of 10 dental professionals expressed that the dental industry is lagging behind when it comes to sustainability.
As much as 80% of surveyed dentists agreed that it is important for the dental industry to reduce its environmental impact.
These are key findings of the Global Sustainability in Dentistry Study, which was commissioned by Dentsply Sirona. The study, in which more than 1,300 dentists from the United States, Brazil, Germany, UK, France, China and Japan participated, also revealed that 69% of dentists admitted that they did not know how to start implementing concrete sustainability actions but were eager to learn more.
To address the existing knowledge gap among dentists, Dentsply Sirona has now launched the first course of its comprehensive Sustainability Educational Curriculum. Delivered online and for free through the Dentsply Sirona Academy, each of the 5 interactive courses is led by experienced experts and will focus on a different aspect of sustainability.
“At Dentsply Sirona we are determined to contribute our knowledge, technologies and passion to this important cause,” says Cherée Johnson, Dentsply Sirona’s chief legal officer and chair of sustainability committee. “We commissioned this study to understand how dentists around the world view sustainability and where they look to us and the industry for support.”
The curriculum introduces dentists to the biggest challenges and opportunities for the dental industry, industry-wide initiatives and ideas and resources that dentists can use to help further sustainability in their practices and beyond.
The first course is currently live and will be followed by additional modules in 2023. Participants will receive CE credits upon successful completion of each course, as per the Academy of General Dentistry in the United States and Canada.
At DS World 2022, to be held on Sept 15-17 in Las Vegas, Nevada, the company will disclose several tools which will enable worldwide dental practitioners to advance sustainability in dentistry.
Those attending the event are invited to join one of three Sustainability Breakout Sessions on Sept 15, 2022. In the sessions, co-hosts Prof. Dr Rainer Seemann, interim chief clinical officer at Dentsply Sirona, and Dr Steven Mulligan, founding member of the FDI World Dental Federation (FDI)’s Sustainability in Dentistry Task Team, will dive into the challenges and opportunities of becoming more sustainable. The sessions will introduce a new FDI online toolkit that aims to give guidance and practical help to dental professionals around the world on how to take action.
During the sessions, there will also be time for discussion and sharing experiences and ideas. Those interested in taking part can register via the DS World 2022 event application.
“Sustainability is one of the most prominent and important topics in society today and Dentsply Sirona, as a member of the dental industry, must play its part in protecting the planet and improving the quality of lives around the globe,” said Johnson.
Photo 155564094 © One Photo | Dreamstime.com
