Surprising ways to go green in the dental practice
Featured Products Promotional FeaturesPosted by: Dental Design 9th February 2022
Climate change has been described as the “defining crisis of our time” and the need for a collective approach to tackling it means making changes on a local level. Every dental practice, and the industry as a whole, has a responsibility to minimise its carbon footprint.
But the changes you make could save you money, too. With wholesale gas and electricity prices rising since last October, many businesses are already seeing the impact on their running costs, with warnings that this might lead to higher prices for goods and services. The last thing you want is to start charging your patients more.
So, where to start?
Infection control protocols mean certain items must be thrown away immediately, or thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before they can be reused or re-worn, so mitigating the impact of necessary everyday processes is key. If an amount of waste cannot be avoided, check the green credentials of the company who deals with your waste management and disposal. How much of what they collect do they recycle? What about the modes of transport they use? Do they use renewable energy sources? The answer to such questions could motivate you to make a switch.
Replace incandescent or halogen light bulbs with LEDs and become strict with water. As you’ve probably said to your children/partner many times at home… don’t leave the tap running! If you choose a fully electric vehicle or hybrid as a company car, this will be great for the environment – you’ll save on tax, too. Or, encourage car sharing between colleagues, or incentivise walking, cycling or using public transport to get to work.
Going digital is perhaps the best example of how green solutions can also improve workflows and enhance the quality of your service. If you use digital technologies for taking X-rays, patients tend to find these more comfortable, and the process is quicker and more accurate. There is also less waste produced than with conventional methods. But it doesn’t end with X-rays, as there are all sorts of ways that technology can keep you greener and help you do things better.
Cloud-based working is a key example. If you are still distrustful of storing data in the Cloud, be assured that it will be completely secure, as well as fully accessible from multiple devices. Cloud-based platforms will help you go paperless, saving space, also related costs and waste. There some exceptional, high-tech and entirely digital practice management solutions on the market, which could truly revolutionise how you do things.
What about outsourcing your payroll to a specialist, online provider? Online payroll systems can be adapted to any-size business and are easy to scale up, should you need to add more people to the dental team. With an online payroll, you can be confident that it will always be delivered on time, and be accurate. As well new starters, employee pensions will be handled efficiently, and any documents required by HMRC, such as P45s and P60s will be managed. So, no paper, just a fully-compliant and green method of getting people paid every month. Some providers also produce ePayslips, which are highly convenient for filing in the Cloud, giving your employees instant access to theirs, with just a few taps.
Because the technologies to support paperless working for businesses is evolving fast, moving to a specialist payroll provider now, will ensure you at the forefront of innovation in this area. The media coverage generated by COP26 will drive those companies developing energy-saving software to launch more cutting-edge products, that make life easier as well as underlining the global commitment to sustainability.
Wagemate is a specialist provider, who works with dental practices of all sizes to deliver their payroll. The team is well experienced in the specific pressures on payroll for dental teams – self-employed contractors, people who might be paid on a different schedule, for example. With Wagemate, your payroll will be stress-free, risk-free and much greener by being paperless!
Dentistry might be an industry that is unable to entirely commit – at the moment – to fundamental change. Infection control remains a key priority, and products and materials that cannot be fully recycled are still used every day. But do what you can and you will also save money and time. Your patients will appreciate the efforts you are making to be greener, as will your team and others who work with you and for you.
Along with other tips, an outsourced online payroll may not be the most obvious answer to ‘How can we be a more sustainable practice?’ but moving to one is not only great for the planet, it will reap you endless, ongoing benefits in many other ways.
To better manage your payroll, contact payroll specialists Wagemate today,
tel: 03330 102102 or email info@wagemate.com
