Decorating with the Environment in Mind
In equipping her operatories, important factors in Dr. Lee’s purchasing decisions included whether the product had been produced using environmentally friendly practices, if it was made in the United States, if it was made locally and if it was covered under a warranty. Pacelli and Sailer helped Dr. Lee identify products and manufacturers that met her criteria and never pressured her to buy items she didn’t need. "They understood that doing more with less was important to me," she said.
In her quest for a product that would last the test of time, Dr. Lee equipped her operatories with A-dec chairs and cabinetry. She was attracted to the quality and durability of A-dec’s products, plus the proximity of A-dec’s Oregon manufacturing facility meant a shorter distance for shipping and reduced impact on the environment.
In two of her operatories, Dr. Lee selected chair upholstery in a bright green shade called Parrot. In her second operatory, she went with a toned-down shade of creamy yellow. Her bright green chairs have been such a hit with her patients that she equipped her fourth operatory with a Parrot-colored chair as well. "It feels really bright and kind of edgy," she said.
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Throughout the practice, organic tones of brown, orange, yellow and green provide a warm, yet modern atmosphere. Dr. Lee used nontoxic paint throughout the practice to ensure her patients and staff aren’t exposed to any harmful gases. Ceramic tiles designed to look like hardwood flooring give the illusion of wood without its damaging effects to the environment. Black wainscoting and decorative trim are made of faux wood products, too. "In going green, you try not to use any wood products that would have an impact on the environment," said Dr. Lee. "The tile’s so easy to clean and you don’t have to finish or polish it like wood."
While lessening her practice’s impact on the environment is important to Dr. Lee, patient safety will always be priority No. 1. "I could sterilize things that are supposed to be disposable, but I don’t do that," she said. "As much as I want to go green and not throw things away, we can’t compromise patient care."
Green Expectations
Though Dr. Lee doesn’t tout Divine Dental Smile as a green practice, she senses that patients can tell something’s different when they walk through the door. “Patients are always saying it doesn’t look or smell like a typical dental practice,” she said.
One of the only green dental practices in the area, Dr. Lee believes eco-friendly dentistry is the wave of the future. “There’s an expectation that patients have of us to stay abreast of technology and whatever cultural situation we’re in,” she said. “If it’s an expectation to provide services that are environmentally friendly, then we should start moving toward it.”
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