Sustainability in Dentistry

Promoting Sustainable Dentistry

We've joined Haleon (formerly GSK Consumer Healthcare), Procter & Gamble, Colgate, and TePe as founding partners with FDI to promote sustainability in dentistry amongst practitioners, patients, and throughout the supply chain.

By uniting key peers from the wider life sciences sector, FDI, and our customers, this partnership will create a new wave of sustainable action within dentistry and set an ambitious benchmark. On a practical level, it will equip dentists and their teams with the tools and resources to improve sustainability in their dental practices while informing the public of the role they can play in ensuring a sustainable future for dentistry, both through improved oral health and by making informed decisions.

A key milestone was reached in March 2022, as the Consensus Statement on Environmentally Sustainable Oral Healthcare was finalized! A comprehensive document that identifies current behaviors and proposes strategies aimed at reducing the environmental impact of the dental industry. The Consensus Statement is the outcome of a multi-stakeholder collaboration – above-mentioned key partners, representatives from various dental associations around the world, analyzed, completed, and documented by the dedicated Task Force of FDI. It resulted in a Pledge to deliver Sustainable Oral Health which inviting dental professionals to show their support environmental sustainability within oral healthcare. Additionally, an interactive Sustainability in Dentistry toolkit was created to help dentists and their teams discover concrete actions to take in order to reduce the environmental impact of the dental practice.  Join us and take action for a more sustainable dentistry by signing FDI's Sustainability Pledge and discover the interactive toolkit to take part in the sustainability challenges.

Join us and take action for a more sustainable dentistry by signing FDI's Sustainability Pledge.
Discover the interactive toolkit to take part in the sustainability challenges

World Oral Health Day

Dentsply Sirona proudly supports World Oral Health Day 2023

As part of Dentsply Sirona's sustainability strategy, "BEYOND: Taking action for a brighter world," the company has committed to promoting World Oral Health Day (WOHD) and its aim of raising awareness of oral health as a key factor in living a longer, healthier life.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has adopted a global strategy on oral health – a major step toward improving oral health around the globe. This strategy aligns oral healthcare with primary healthcare and sets a bold vision for universal health coverage for oral health preventive care and treatment to reach all people by 2030. It also bolsters our mission as a company and our commitment to go BEYOND through our sustainability program and our support of WOHD.

Celebrated annually on 20 March, WOHD was launched by FDI World Dental Federation to raise global awareness on the prevention and control of oral diseases, which affect nearly 3.5 billion people worldwide. Under its "Be Proud of Your Mouth" campaign theme, WOHD 2023 wants to inspire change by focusing on the importance of oral health at every stage of life, because no matter what age you are, caring for your mouth and looking after your oral health is important.

FDI records hundreds of WOHD events that reach millions of people worldwide each year and commends the hard work of WOHD enthusiasts, recognizing outstanding contributions to the campaign through the WOHD Awards. In 2023, Dentsply Sirona proudly sponsors the most original activity award which recognizes WOHD activities that make a lasting impression because they are unique in promoting oral health messages among the public. The award categories is open to student associations. A World Oral Health Day Award Ceremony is organized during the FDI World Dental Congress taking place in Sydney, Australia in September.

Oral Health Facts

Oral health is central to every person’s overall health, happiness and well-being.

Nearly 3.5 million people around the world suffer from oral diseases. Having gum disease increases the risk of a first heart attack by 64%- According to a 2016 study by the Karolinska University Hospital in Sweden.

People who have lost 5 or more teeth by the age of 65 are more likely to suffer cardiovascular disease, diabetes and osteoporosis- all of which severely limit their life expectancy.

Oral health can be directly connected to your racial, ethnic and socioeconomic background. 28% of non-Hispanic Black Children aged 2 to 5 have cavities in their primary teeth compared with 18% of non-Hispanic white children.

Globally, it is estimated that 530 million children suffer from tooth decay in their primary teeth, which can lead to pain, infection, tooth loss and missed school days.

Our innovations such as Primescan and SureSmile Clear Aligners help dental professionals make oral health more accessible to patients worldwide and contribute to our sustainability goal of creating 25 million smiles by 2025.