When it comes to dentistry, many patients may be focused on when their next appointment is versus how their dentist is supporting sustainability. But, dental practices like that of Tara Kaur, DDS are changing how patients approach their dental care. From everything from employing more eco-friendly practices to making patients more comfortable through natural methods while they visit the office, Dr. Kaur is committed to positively improving her office and the people who visit it through a green focus.
Based in Edina, Minnesota, Green Business Bureau Member, Tara Kaur, DDS, is dedicated to patient centered biological dentistry and a holistic approach to wellness. Dr. Kaur’s dental team understands the importance of enlisting the body, mind and spirit to the care of their patients’ mouths, helping to maintain the well being of each person who sees Dr. Kaur. Dr. Kaur’s health centered dental practice promotes mercury free, fluoride free and anxiety free visits, and is committed to following a sustainable approach to dentistry. She incorporates ecologically sustainable materials and procedures that reduce the impact of dentistry on the environment, as well as protecting her patients from toxic materials.
Dr. Kaur’s practice is committed to this sustainable approach in many areas, including:
- Avoiding placing dental amalgam fillings and using mercury amalgam separators. This reduces the practice’s toxic mercury contribution to local wastewater treatment facilities. It also decreases the amount of neurotoxins patients are exposed to.
- Using digital X-rays, which helps eliminate the practice’s contribution of pollution (chemical fixers and lead foils) into sewer systems. Digital X-rays use up to 90 percent less radiation than conventional X-ray films, minimizing patient radiation exposure.
- Using an electronic patient record, eliminating an enormous amount of paper. If paper is needed, the offices chooses recycled paper products.
- Using a dry dental vacuum system, which reduces the office’s use of water by 360 gallons per day or 57,000 gallon of water per year.
- The practice uses steam sterilization, which replaces chemical based and toxic cold sterilization.
- They also use eco-friendly disinfectants, maintaining a hospital grade environment in the dental office, while protecting the health and safety of staff, patients, and the surrounding neighborhoods.
- The office uses reusable equipment and products wherever possible reducing our contribution to the local landfill.
- Cloth lab coats and headrest covers are used, and the office does not use disposable barrier systems. If a disposable is needed, Dr. Kaur and her team choose something that is recycled. The office also uses recycled cardboard, paper, glass, aluminum cans and plastic.
- Dr. Kaur gives patients Preserve toothbrushes, which are made out of recycled post-consumer yogurt cups. The practice also offers a recycling program for toothbrushes.
Additionally, Dr. Kaur has implemented eco-friendly practices in the actual design of her office. The office uses low VOC paint, recycled content flooring, reclaimed natural wood, low VOC floor sealer, and LED lighting and recycled building products. The practice used DIRTT – a demountable partition system that can be re-configured and reused – as a major component in the clinic design, helping to eliminate building materials ending up in the landfill. The office also uses all Energy Star appliances, including a tankless, on-demand water heater, which saves energy, reduces consumption and reduce our carbon footprint.
“I believe in sustaining the environment on a daily basis and having it incorporated into my business was very important to me,” said Dr. Tara Kaur. “I believe in what the GBB stands for and I want to fully support its mission.”
To learn more about Dr. Tara Kaur, DDS, please visit: https://www.tarakaurdds.com
