Environmental Sustainability in Oral Healthcare

Dental care, while essential to human health, currently has a considerable environmental footprint across its entire supply chain. From materials manufacturing and distribution to clinical practice and waste management, every stage presents both challenges and opportunities for sustainability. This Research Topic seeks to weave a narrative through the dental care lifecycle, inviting contributions that address specific sustainability issues and innovations throughout the system.1. Sustainable Manufacturing & MaterialsWe invite articles examining greener manufacturing processes, eco-friendly dental materials, and efforts to reduce the environmental impact of producing dental equipment—including personal protective equipment (PPE).2. Sustainable Distribution & PackagingSubmissions are welcome on innovative logistics, sustainable packaging, and inventory solutions that cut emissions and minimize resource use.3. Clinical Practice InnovationsWe encourage discussion on sustainable approaches in the clinic, including preventive care, resource-efficient technologies like digital dentistry and CAD-CAM, and balancing infection control with environmental protection.4. Education & Professional CultureHow can dental training and ongoing professional development foster a culture of sustainability? Share examples of curriculum innovation, staff engagement, and leadership in environmental stewardship.5. Waste Management & Circular EconomyWe seek papers on recycling, responsible disposal, and the development of circular economy models for dental materials and products.6. Intersections & Systems ThinkingContributions that highlight connections between supply chain stages, or collaborative approaches among clinicians and stakeholders, are especially encouraged.This collection aims to highlight evidence-based actions for greener dentistry—as outlined in FDI’s Consensus on Environmentally Sustainable Oral Healthcare—and spark transformative change toward a more sustainable future in oral health. Topic editors: Steven Mulligan, Nicolas Martin, Jonathan Dixon, Donna Hackley Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/70285/environmental-sustainability-in-oral-healthcare