Geneva, 3 May 2021

FDI World Dental Federation (FDI) today launched a new initiative, with commitments from four founding industry partners – Colgate, Dentsply-Sirona, GSK Consumer Healthcare, and TePe – to lead the charge on sustainability in dentistry.

Over the next two years FDI will work collaboratively with its partners and other key stakeholders to map out strategies and implement solutions to help reduce the environmental impact of dentistry and the dental industry. The work will lead to the publication of an FDI Sustainability Code of Practice that provides guidelines and objectives for achieving a sustainable procurement and supply procedure, which will be signed by co-signatories across the supply chain.

Environmental sustainability in dentistry is multifaceted and involves numerous stakeholders. CO₂ emissions, plastics use, waste generation and other environmental impacts are major challenges at all levels of the dental resource supply chain as well as in care delivery. Reducing the impact of the dental profession on the environment will require action and collaboration from many different actors. The four founding partners are part of a pro-active approach to tackling these environmental threats and developing concerted and far-reaching solutions.

The project will also equip dentists and their teams with a suite of tools and resources to help them improve sustainability in their dental practices, while informing the general public of their role in sustainability in dentistry through improved oral health and making informed decisions.

“I am delighted to witness FDI’s Sustainability in Dentistry project evolve into this high-calibre, multi-partner initiative to achieve our sustainability goals for the dental profession,” said FDI President Dr Gerhard K. Seeberger. “The project’s humble beginnings as a way to encourage oral health professionals and dental practices to ‘think green’ is now moving into a phase of collaboration, action and real results.”

The four founding partners offered their remarks following the launch of the initiative:

“As the world’s oral care leader with a focus on building purpose-driven brands, we are thrilled to help shape the FDI Sustainability in Dentistry initiative,” said Ann Tracy, Chief Sustainability Officer at Colgate. “We are reimagining a healthier and more sustainable future for all people, their pets and our planet so this is a natural fit for us.”

“GSK Consumer Healthcare is fighting to eradicate preventable oral health problems and working to empower dentists and the general public towards better, more sustainable dental care,” said Sarah McDonald, VP Sustainability at GSK Consumer Healthcare. “This partnership supports this and our wider commitment to tackling environmental barriers to everyday health; because people can only be healthy on a healthy planet.”

“At Dentsply Sirona, we are incredibly proud to be a founding member of the new cross-sector Sustainability in Dentistry partnership with FDI,” said CEO Don Casey from Dentsply Sirona. “Our mission as a company is to improve oral health worldwide and sustainability is core to our strategy. We are committed to helping create a more sustainable world for future generations and look forward to the progress we will be able to achieve through this landmark initiative.”

“We are very excited to be part of the Sustainability in Dentistry initiative,” said Helena Ossmer Thedius, Marketing and Innovation Director at TePe. “We want to contribute to positive development and a more sustainable society. Working towards sustainable and circular solutions within dentistry is an important mission, and it is our belief that to be successful and make a real impact, we need to collaborate.”

About FDI World Dental Federation

FDI is the main representative body for more than one million dentists worldwide, with a vision of leading the world to optimal oral health. Its membership comprises some 200 national member associations and specialist groups in over 130 countries. www.fdiworlddental.org

About the Sustainability in Dentistry project

FDI’s Sustainability in Dentistry project was established to motivate and inspire commitment to reduce the collective CO₂ footprint of dentistry, targeting practitioners, patients, and the supply chain itself. The project will produce a suite of tools and resources for dental practices and patients to be more environmentally sustainable. Through multi-stakeholder collaboration, the project will develop a Consensus Statement outlining the environmental impacts of dentistry. This will form the basis of the Consensus Summit and resulting Code of Good Practice, which provides guidelines and objectives for achieving a sustainable procurement and supply procedure. This will be signed by co-signatories across the supply chain. New signatories will be encouraged to sign the document and commit to a more sustainable future.

The four founding partners of the Sustainability in Dentistry project are Colgate, GSK Consumer Healthcare, Dentsply Sirona, and TePe.

Media Contact:

Charanjit Jagait, FDI Communications and Advocacy Director

Email: cjagait@fdiworlddental.org; Tel: +41 79 796 76 13