Reducing waste, raising standards: Sustainable packaging in dentistry

The two organizations are looking back on a successful partnership, pushing for more sustainability throughout the dental industry and creating a host of resources for dental professionals. Today, they want to talk about packaging.

Here with us are Tony Johnson, SVP, chief supply chain officer and executive sponsor for ESG at Dentsply Sirona; David Ferguson, SVP, global business units at Dentsply Sirona; and Assist. Prof. Nikolai Sharkov, president elect of FDI World Dental Federation.

 

Nikolai, why is FDI tackling packaging as part of its Sustainability in Dentistry initiative?

Sharkov: Packaging is a major contributor to unsustainable practices and one of the main sources of environmental impact in oral healthcare. Yet, globally, only about 9 percent of plastic waste is recycled. Within the sector, packaging, especially single-use plastics, remains one of the most visible forms of waste. It often burdens dental practices with excess volume and limited recyclability. When developing the “FDI Consensus Statement on Environmentally Sustainable Oral Healthcare”, we found that packaging emerged as one of the key drivers of unsustainable practices in the dental industry.

The good news, though, is that there is a lot of potential to reduce packaging volume and environmental impact. Through our Sustainability in Dentistry initiative, of which Dentsply Sirona is a co-founder, we’ve developed an interactive toolkit that helps dental professionals identify ways to increase the sustainability of their practice, including how to deal with packaging. We also launched the Pledge for Sustainable Dentistry, which invites professionals to commit to reducing the environmental footprint of their work. Industry partners like Dentsply Sirona have helped us turn that pledge into action by designing more recyclable packaging, but also by educating the community.

 

Tony, what role does sustainable packaging play for Dentsply Sirona?

Johnson: As the world’s largest diversified manufacturer of professional dental products and technologies, we recognize that our scale comes with a responsibility to reduce the environmental impact of our packaging and to lead by example.  Our primary focus at this point in our journey is on transitioning to recyclable packaging. We are actively replacing plastics with paper and cardboard alternatives, and we are working toward our goal of making all our packaging recyclable by 2030.

This target is a key goal of our sustainability strategy “BEYOND: Taking Action for a Brighter World”. But our efforts go beyond recyclability — we are also working to reduce packaging size and weight, minimize components and improve material sustainability. The overarching aim is to optimize our packaging to use and waste less material.

One example: We reduced the size and weight of our Endo Solution Kit packaging and moved to 100 percent recycled paperboard, cutting down on both material use and CO₂ emissions. Across our U.S. and European sites, we are in the process of switching from plastic foam inserts to paper-based cushioning and eliminating dual shipping boxes in favor of consolidated solutions.

Importantly, we know this effort aligns with how practices are already operating. A survey we conducted showed that 89 percent of dental practices recycle cardboard and 74 percent recycle paper. That means shifting to more paper-based materials makes recycling easier and more likely to happen.

Ferguson: And the benefits extend beyond sustainability. Smaller, lighter packaging lowers transport emissions and improves storage efficiency — which is especially valuable in crowded practices and labs. Depending on the location, it can also reduce disposal costs, which is an added bonus for dental practices.

Another important point is alignment with regulatory shifts. The European Union already mandates recyclable packaging for non-medical devices by 2030, and they’ll reassess medical device packaging rules by 2035. We're working to get ahead of that timeline, and our progress since 2024 reflects that.

For example, in the U.S., we’re expanding the use of paper-based inserts across our Sterimate and Nupro products, and our production site in Germany is now introducing inserts made from bio-based starch for most of its handpieces.

 

What are dental professionals looking for when it comes to sustainable packaging?

Ferguson: More than ever, dental professionals want packaging that aligns with their values. They want products that work well, are safe and don’t create unnecessary waste. We find that patients are also paying more attention to sustainability, with growing expectations for care that reflects environmental awareness. By improving packaging, we’re enabling practices to operate more efficiently while also enhancing the overall patient experience.

Johnson: Right. Our goal is to make sustainability frictionless. When dentists open a Dentsply Sirona product, they should find recyclable, compact and clear packaging — something that protects the product and reduces environmental burden.

Behind the scenes, our Sustainable Packaging Team has developed a roadmap through 2027 that focuses on optimizing secondary and tertiary packaging — things like outer boxes, protective materials and labeling. For example, we’re switching from foam inserts to recyclable paper-based cushioning and are using corrugated cardboard in most of our shipping boxes.

We're also evaluating primary packaging, which is more complex due to sterility requirements and regulatory oversight. But even here, we’re testing the option to replace plastic blister packs and barrier films without compromising product safety.

 

Nikolai, what makes sustainability in packaging such a collaborative effort?

Sharkov: There is no one-size-fits-all solution. What’s recyclable in one country might not be recyclable in another. Practices face different regulations and waste management systems. But what we’ve seen through our Sustainability in Dentistry project is that dental professionals themselves are eager to be part of the solution. Many are actively looking for ways to contribute but need support to be able to do so effectively.

That’s why we focus so heavily on education and collaboration. Together with Dentsply Sirona and other partners, we’ve created practical resources like our two Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC), on sustainable dentistry. These courses are free, practical and available in several languages. They give dental professionals the tools to embed sustainability into their practices and rethink everything from materials to workflows.

 

What advice would you offer dental professionals who want to get started?

Sharkov: I would encourage every professional to explore the toolkit and take our MOOCs. These are easily accessible tools that help you understand where the dental industry stands, which challenges we need to tackle and how to do this. Sustainability in dentistry is a journey — and it starts with awareness, then action.

Johnson: My advice is: Start small but start. Maybe begin by focusing on reducing your energy consumption: turn off equipment when not in use, install LED lighting and choose energy-efficient appliances. Or start with reducing the amount of paper you use by switching to digital patient records, digital appointment reminders and digital consent forms. There are so many steps that can be the starting point of your own sustainability journey — pick one and join us in going BEYOND and making dentistry more sustainable.

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