Our Green Commitment

"Austin, TX (June 12, 2014) – Trade Winds Dental, PA has been recognized by the Eco-Dentistry Association (EDA) for their green commitment. Trade Winds Dental is the first office in Georgetown and Williamson County and one of four dental offices in Texas to achieve GreenDOC™ Gold certification. Trade Winds Dental is one of the first 100 dental practices in the world to achieve (this honor)." 

Our team at Trade Winds Dental is committed to practicing dentistry in a way that is not only comfortable and relaxing to our patients, but gentle to our environment, as well as, our community. Dr. Hennington was one of the first dentists in the Austin area and is one of less than ten dentists in Texas who became a member of the Eco-Dentistry Association (EDA). The EDA is an organization of dental professionals dedicated to the practice of green dentistry. Applying the concepts of green dentistry optimizes high tech innovations to reduce waste and pollution, plus save energy and water. This decreases our overall environmental impact and improves patient and team wellness with every business decision we make. We believe environmental stewardship is an American tradition that dates back to not only the first European settlers, but to our Native American ancestors, as well. In short, we believe in the four Rs: Re-think, Reduce, Re-use, and Recycle. It is a common sense approach that results in a healthier office space for patients and team members. Additionally, green dentistry can ultimately lower our business costs, which is a savings that can be passed on to patients in the form of more stable fees over time. But being "green" goes beyond the scope of thinking of our immediate surroundings and needs. It's about doing what we can now to give everyone on this planet a better future. 

NEW! Hope for a 1000 for a $1000!

Bring your old, hand-held toothbrushes back to our office and we'll donate a dollar per toothbrush to Hope Alliance, a Williamson County non-profit organization to help those affected by domestic violence and sexual assault! Help us collect 1000 toothbrushes and raise $1000 for Hope Alliance.  For more information on Hope Alliance, please visit  http://www.hopealliancetx.org/

NEW! BPA-Free Toothbrushes!

We offer complimentary eco-friendly toothbrushes that are made from recycled plastic and are recyclable. They are BPA-free, have had no animal testing, and use less coal, energy, oil, greenhouse gases and water to manufacture.

NEW! Eco-Friendly Pens!

Our attractive green pens are made of recycled cardboard and bio-degradable plastic.

NEW! Environmentally-Conscious Paper Bags!

Our shopping bags are made of 100% post-consumer and post-industrial fibers, are reusable and compostable. 

Other Trade Winds Dental Green Commitment Initiatives:

• We use supplies that can be sterilized and re-used instead of disposables that are simply thrown away and added to landfills whenever possible.
• We recycle cardboard, office paper, plastic, aluminum cans, and bottles.
• We provide reusable, cloth hand towels in patient and employee restrooms instead of using disposable paper towels.
• We take digital x-rays, which reduce radiation exposure to patients and eliminate harsh processing chemicals and materials associated with conventional, film based x-rays.
• We reduce the use of  paper products by keeping electronic patient charts.
• We use effective, eco-friendly cleaning products when possible.
• We use an amalgam separator, a device which keeps silver fillings containing mercury (removed from patient's mouths) from entering the community water supply.
• We steam sterilize our instruments.
• We use energy-saver appliances where possible.
• Native, drought-tolerant plants that require less water make up our outdoor landscape.
• Live, indoor plants are a major component of our interior design, improving air quality and providing a soothing environment.
• Uniforms, towels, sterilization covers, etc. are washed in-office using eco-friendly products in our energy saver appliances. This eliminates not only the impact of transport, but also, reduces the use of harsh chemicals used in commercial laundries.
• A recycling container is available for you in our reception room for your convenience.
• When we at Trade Winds Dental moved into our current location in 2011, we used a service that provided plastic, reusable boxes for moving instead of using traditional, cardboard boxes. Dr. Hennington chose to refurbish an already-existing dental office, greatly reducing the environmental impact  at that time associated with new office construction. We retained and refurbished existing flooring, window treatments, phone systems, and light fixtures to reduce waste as much as possible. Low VOC paints and stains were used, improving air quality significantly. Furthermore, the old dental and office equipment that were replaced with more innovative technology, were either entered into a recycling program or re-used in areas that do not have access to more modern dental equipment.

We will continuously be looking for new ways to reduce our office's carbon footprint. Please check our website and blog often, or like us on our Facebook page to obtain updates.

Thank you for being a part of the commitment to all of our futures.