From Traditional to Eco-Friendly Dentistry: Assessing the Promising Sustainability Outlook in Saudi Arabia

Dentistry is a resource-hungry segment that produces a lot of waste and also consumes more energy and water. Transitioning toward environmentally sustainable dental practices is essential for reducing the environmental burden of dental services in Saudi Arabia, but there is limited evidence on the subject.

The purpose of the study was to explore the knowledge of eco-friendly dental practices, their existing adoption, and the barriers to the adoption of dental practitioners and clinic directors in Saudi Arabia.

The study employed a cross-sectional mixed-method design. It comprised the quantitative stage, which included a structured questionnaire of 200 dentists or clinic directors working in dental clinics in Riyadh, through six domains: medical devices and equipment, dental amalgam, imaging, paper, energy, and water management. The qualitative step involved six semistructured interviews with key stakeholders in various parts of Saudi Arabia, which were analyzed on the premise of a thematic approach as developed by Braun and Clarke. Two phases were combined to provide a more comprehensive picture of the adoption patterns and the potential impediments.

Digital imaging, energy efficiency, and paper management had high adoption rates. By contrast, lower implementation was found among reusable syringes, cups, protective packaging, sensor water taps, and renewable energy sources, although the awareness of implementation was high. The most prominent barriers included insufficient training (M = 3.96), insufficient motivation (M = 3.80), and cost and logistical issues.

Saudi dental clinics appear to be progressing toward sustainability, but specific training programs, monetary incentives, and institutional policy are the key elements that are needed to address the gap between awareness and the application of environmentally friendly operations. The results bring priority areas to the forefront and provide practical learning inquiries to policymakers and professional organizations in the dentistry profession.