The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.

Crescent Dental is doing its part to reduce its  environmental impact due to its daily activities. We have put some  thought into the design and choice of equipment for our office to ensure  that we are environmentally friendly, with minimal waste of energy  waste and resources.
 

Here is how we are trying to make a difference ......... 

1. An energy efficient office starts with its building: Our building is a "green roof" building.  Having vegetation on the roof  top reduces energy needs for heating and cooling and prevents rain  water runoff.  Rain water is captured in special tanks and recycled for  irrigation.
 

2. Paperless office: We use electronic record-keeping for our patient files, eliminating the need for paper  folders, charts, tabs, progress reports and so on.  In fact the only  pieces of paper used in the office are for patient registration and  acknowledgment of the privacy policies (required by law).
 

3. Digital X-rays: The use of digital radiographs not only reduces the amount of radiation required to capture  an image, but also eliminates the need for chemical agents to fixate  and develop x-rays films.  After usage, such chemicals eventually drain  into the city sewer system.  Also by abandoning dental film, we have  eliminated the need for special disposal of the lead foil that comes  with each x-ray film.

 4. Amalgam separator (wastewater mercury capture device): We use Solmetex Hg5 mercury filtration device in our vacuum pump which captures 90% of the mercury released during removal of the old dental amalgam fillings.  This device also captures other metallic ions such as nickel, cobalt, molybdenium and chromium (used in dental crowns), thus preventing their release into sewer lines and eventually to the water table.
 

5. Energy efficient lighting: We have opted to use energy efficient light bulbs
throughout the office.  Our outside sign is also equipped with LED lighting (vs.
Neon) which uses about one fifth of the electricity required to power it.
 

6. Hydrogen Peroxide cold-sterilization: Traditionally dentists have used
Glutharaldehyde based solutions for cold sterilization of plastic and sensitive
instruments that can not be sterilized in a steam autoclave. Glutharaldehyde is a
known carcinogen when chemically active, and is dumped into the city sewer system at
the end of its useful life cycle.  On the other hand Hydrogen Peroxide is non toxic
and turns into water after being used.

7. Closed circuit water lines: We have opted to use a "closed" system for our dental
water lines filled only with steam distilled water. Use of the distilled water vs.
city water in the dental chairs inhibits growth of the bio-film (bacteria and fungi
growing inside the tubing much like mildew in a bath), eliminating the need to use
chemical detergents and disinfectants.