The critical role of research in environmental sustainability in oral health care.

Background

Climate change is the existential threat of our time that requires a whole society response. Although climate change negatively affects population health, the delivery of health care contributes to climate change, creating a reinforcing cycle. Discovery and innovation remain essential to improving health outcomes, but the research ecosystem must also account for its environmental footprint. TYPES OF STUDIES REVIEWED The authors synthesized the literature on implementation research, health systems research, and environmentally sustainable practices in oral health care. They also drew on emerging frameworks in sustainable health care systems and research practices to examine the intersection of oral health, research, and environmental impact.

Results

Three key areas were identified. First, implementation research can improve population oral health while minimizing environmental impact. Second, research agendas can prioritize behaviors, products, and practices through an environmental lens. Third, research processes can be designed to reduce environmental impacts and avoid unnecessary waste. Prevention emerges as central to both public health and sustainability, as maintaining oral health reduces the need for transportation and fossil fuel use to reach health care settings, lowers reliance on resource-intensive treatments, and decreases material use and waste. At the same time, the generation of new knowledge must balance environmental considerations with potential health gains.

Conclusions

AND PRACTICAL IMPLEMENTATIONS As journals increasingly include public health impact statements, the authors propose that funders could similarly require environmental impact statements in research proposals to promote accountability. Integrating prevention, implementation science, and environmentally conscious research practices can support more sustainable oral health care systems globally. The authors focused specifically on dental research with implications across diverse global settings. The article is not intended to provide a comprehensive review of all dimensions of sustainable dentistry.