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Sustainability: The Need to Transform Oral Health Systems

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Sustainable Dentistry

Part of the book series: BDJ Clinician’s Guides ((BDJCG))

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  • The original version of the chapter has been revised. The last name of James Coughlan was unfortunately published with an error. The initially published version has now been corrected. A correction to this chapter can be found at https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-07999-3_14

Abstract

This chapter explores the role of system transformation in the drive towards sustainability. This chapter presents this broad vision of sustainability in dentistry by coupling sustainability with dentistry’s social contract, or the mutual commitments and reciprocal obligations that dentistry shares with society by virtue of being a regulated health profession. Healthcare systems need to be more focussed on efficient, appropriate treatment (based on evidence) to not only become more efficient but also to reduce their overall environmental impact (Hensher, et al., Health Economics, Policy and Law 15:419–439, 2020). A number of system characteristics need to be considered from an environmental, fiscal, and social perspective. The chapter views the lens of six building blocks for health systems strengthening; service delivery, health workforce, health information systems, access to essential medicines, financing, and leadership/governance.

Sustainability isn’t about reducing your environmental emissions; it needs a system reconstruct; and all of these building blocks are pivotal in building a sustainable dental system.

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Change history

  • 14 October 2023

    A correction has been published.

Notes

  1. 1.

    1,420,220,285 kilotonnes of carbon. Multiplying this by 3.07136E-06 using the RECIPE formula.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

    Brett Duane & Bridget Johnston

  2. European Dental Students’ Association, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    James Coughlan

  3. University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Carlos Quintonez

  4. Charité Zahnklinik, Berlin, Germany

    Julian Fisher

  5. Amersham, England, UK

    Eleni Pasdeki-Clewer

  6. University College London, London, UK

    Paul Ashley

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  1. Brett Duane
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  2. James Coughlan
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Correspondence to Brett Duane .

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  1. School of Dentistry, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

    Brett Duane

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Duane, B. et al. (2022). Sustainability: The Need to Transform Oral Health Systems. In: Duane, B. (eds) Sustainable Dentistry. BDJ Clinician’s Guides. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-07999-3_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-07999-3_12

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