Great question! As a dental practice committed to providing our patients with the highest level of patient care, treatment, and attention while also minimizing our impact on our planet, there are many great reasons to choose Trade Winds Dental, a green dental practice, for your dental health care!
So, what separates a “Green Dentist” from a normal dental practice? Perhaps one of the most important aspects of Green Dentistry is the approach and focus on the health of your whole body – not just your mouth. Dr. Hennington and our team choose to use products and materials that drastically minimize the amount harmful toxins used. This provides overall consideration for whole body health and reduces the negative effects of toxins in your body.
A Green Dentist needs to make dedicated use of the latest technologies in the dental field, both on the treatment side of things as well as the administrative side. Digital and technological advancements continually provide the best equipment for treatments and planning as well as making the patient experience with our office as convenient, seamless, and planet-friendly as possible. Here are a few of the ways that Dr. Hennington uses advanced technology to provide exceptional care that upholds our green commitment:
- We use an all digital X-ray machine – digital X-rays don’t require the use of toxic development chemicals and expose patients to a very, very small amount of radiation.
- We use an amalgam separator – this helps keep the mercury out of our patients’ mouths and our community’s water supply!
- We use digital tools and interfaces in our communication with patients – this allows for convenient appointment scheduling and reminders, seamless correspondence, and it can be fun too (be sure to check out our Facebook page!)
- Our office has been remodeled with low VOC paints and stains and energy-efficient lightbulbs. One fantastic benefit of low VOC paints is the drastically improved air quality patients experience when they are in our office.
In addition to these substantial green practices, we also make every effort to extend our green commitment by offering BPA-Free toothbrushes, sending our patients home with their items in 100% post-consumer shopping bags, providing toothbrush recycling, and encouraging our patients to conserve water and energy use in fun contests.
To make sure Trade Winds Dental is on the cutting edge of the best green dentistry practices, Dr. Hennington has been passionately involved and active with the Eco-Dentistry Association. Dr. Hennington is part of an elite group of Green Dentists in the Austin, Texas, and remains a part of a select group of EDA dentists across the whole state who use their office to not just improve the lives of their patients but also the community and planet as a whole!