Green Impact for Dentists

Green Impact is a sustainability accreditation scheme with an audit and awards element designed specifically for dental practices. It’s an international programme, recognised by UNESCO as a global laureate for education for sustainable development. However, this particular programme is designed specifically for dental practices. 2019 marks the pilot of this programme in Anglia and Essex, funded by NHS England (East of England) and delivered by NUS in partnership with PHE England and the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare. For more information on the broader scheme please visit www.nus.org.uk/greenimpact. 

A number of launch webinars were delivered in March 2019. A recording of the first launch webinar is available here. If you’d like to gain a CPD certificate for watching the webinar, you’ll need to complete the assessment here. 

Frequently asked questions about the programme can be seen here.

Any practice based in the UK can access the toolkit and use it to create positive changes to their sustainability. Those based in Anglia and Essex are the main target for this pilot and as a such have access to additional personalised support. You can register and access the toolkit at www.greenimpact.org.uk/dentists. 

The aims of the programme are to: 
• reduce carbon emissions, increase social value and to bring dental practices closer to other sectors in the NHS progressing sustainability agendas 
• establish local vanguard practices and clinical/managerial practice leaders 
• increase (anonymised) data and insight into sustainability in dental practice 
• celebrate increased awareness and action and recognise those leading change 
• to share learning and good practice between practices as well as with other geographies, sectors and to influence national policy development 

We anticipate multiple benefits for practices: 
• Increased environmental sustainability 
• Cost savings 
• Improved staff morale 
• Demonstrable commitment to improving sustainability practices 
• Efficiency through the model – enabling practices to learn from others 
• CPD opportunities for staff 
• In addition, there may be benefits for patients: fairer access, benefitting a larger proportion of the population, better oral health and equitable, sustainable care