Materials, Waste, Energy and Travel

Materials, Waste, Energy and Travel relates to P 3.11. For dental nurses this means recognising how everyday actions affect patient care, infection prevention and the practice environment, and staying within professional scope when supporting colleagues and patients.

Sustainable oral healthcare covers environmental impact and patient adherence. Preventive care reduces unnecessary treatment, appointments, waste, travel and patient distress.

What to notice in practice

• Single-use items: ask what the patient or colleague needs next, then hand over or escalate clearly.
• Decontamination: ask what the patient or colleague needs next, then hand over or escalate clearly.
• Digital records: treat information as useful evidence for learning, not just administration.
• Stock: ask what the patient or colleague needs next, then hand over or escalate clearly.
• Appointment planning: ask what the patient or colleague needs next, then hand over or escalate clearly.

Dental nurses influence sustainability through stock rotation, correct waste segregation, preparation, reinforcement of prevention, efficient appointment flow and by speaking up when an environmental proposal would compromise safety, infection prevention and control (IPC) or patient understanding.

Good practice is practical and visible: prepare appropriately, listen to patients and colleagues, check understanding, hand over clearly and report recurring problems so they can be addressed in a formal way.

Research and system context

Sustainable oral healthcare must be safe, preventive, evidence-informed and realistic for patients.