Abstract
Aim
To calculate and compare the carbon footprint of the Orthodontic Department in a Dental Hospital and a rural clinic in Scotland.
Methods
The carbon calculator (CC) designed for dental practices recently published in the BDJ was adapted to provide an estimate of the carbon emissions of the Orthodontic Departments. The contributing factors analysed: patient & staff travel, procurement, waste and energy & water usage. Carbon emissions for these factors were determined by the CC using a hybrid approach, a combination of the spend-based and process-based approaches. The annualised carbon footprint of the hospital orthodontic department overall was calculated to be 226784.5 Kg of carbon and 15153.8Kg for the remote clinic . The carbon footprint of an average patient attending the Hospital Orthodontic Department was calculated to be 23.6Kg of carbon and 22.2Kg for a remote clinic patient.
Conclusions
Carbon emissions contribute to climate change, which has a substantial impact on health in the UK and globally. As with all aspects of healthcare, Orthodontic departments produce greenhouse gas emissions from staff and patient travel, building energy, waste production, water consumption and indirect emissions contained within the procurement chain. Scottish health boards are required under the Sustainable Development Strategy for NHS Scotland to reach net-zero by 2040. The CC was originally designed for dental practices which meant the research team had to adapt it to apply to the dental hospital setting. This is the first systematic attempt to quantify the carbon emissions of Orthodontic services. The value of 22.2- 23.6Kg as the average carbon footprint per patient falls within the parameters established by various literature on the carbon emissions for an average medical procedure. Having an estimate of the carbon footprint of the department will allow the Orthodontic teams and health boards to target the changes required to reach NetZero.
To calculate and compare the carbon footprint of the Orthodontic Department in a Dental Hospital and a rural clinic in Scotland.
Methods
The carbon calculator (CC) designed for dental practices recently published in the BDJ was adapted to provide an estimate of the carbon emissions of the Orthodontic Departments. The contributing factors analysed: patient & staff travel, procurement, waste and energy & water usage. Carbon emissions for these factors were determined by the CC using a hybrid approach, a combination of the spend-based and process-based approaches. The annualised carbon footprint of the hospital orthodontic department overall was calculated to be 226784.5 Kg of carbon and 15153.8Kg for the remote clinic . The carbon footprint of an average patient attending the Hospital Orthodontic Department was calculated to be 23.6Kg of carbon and 22.2Kg for a remote clinic patient.
Conclusions
Carbon emissions contribute to climate change, which has a substantial impact on health in the UK and globally. As with all aspects of healthcare, Orthodontic departments produce greenhouse gas emissions from staff and patient travel, building energy, waste production, water consumption and indirect emissions contained within the procurement chain. Scottish health boards are required under the Sustainable Development Strategy for NHS Scotland to reach net-zero by 2040. The CC was originally designed for dental practices which meant the research team had to adapt it to apply to the dental hospital setting. This is the first systematic attempt to quantify the carbon emissions of Orthodontic services. The value of 22.2- 23.6Kg as the average carbon footprint per patient falls within the parameters established by various literature on the carbon emissions for an average medical procedure. Having an estimate of the carbon footprint of the department will allow the Orthodontic teams and health boards to target the changes required to reach NetZero.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 194 |
| Pages (from-to) | 464-465 |
| Number of pages | 2 |
| Journal | Journal of the World Federation of Orthodontists |
| Volume | 14 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 9 Dec 2025 |
| Event | The 10th International Orthodontic Congress - Rio de Jineiro, Brazil Duration: 22 Oct 2025 → 25 Oct 2025 Conference number: 10 https://www.wfo.org/ioc/ |
UN SDGs
This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
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SDG 13 Climate Action
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