Editor: Brett Duane; 2023; Springer Nature; £39.99; pp. 238; ISBN: 978-3-031-07999-3

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This much needed and timely book is an interesting, insightful, and important read for all dental professionals, with those in leadership positions a key target audience.

The book is divided into 13 chapters, each with a clear, well-constructed narrative and referenced evidence base. It begins discussing climate change and its implications for the planet and for human health, and how healthcare systems and more specifically dentistry fits into this picture. This key section explains the urgent need for change in our profession so that it may be more sustainable and less harmful to our environment in order to reduce our impact now.

The book has helpful sub-headings which make finding the relevant topic easy, especially so for tips on how we might seek to implement the suggested changes to our practice and dental systems.

Subsequent chapters discuss specific, key areas on how we can become more sustainable in dentistry including: how to build a sustainable practice; exploring the consideration to retrofit older premises; planning the location of modality of care; and reducing energy needs.

The book then goes on to highlight the importance of prevention and its benefits towards more sustainable practice in relation to the most common oral conditions. This is followed by chapters on the reduction of the impact of PPE, responsible decontamination, behavioural support in dentistry, procurement, and waste management.

The final chapters of the book explore the need to develop more sustainable dental products and how this could be addressed in a more thought-provoking and sustainable way, ultimately concluding with the overarching principles of how oral health systems themselves will need to change in order for dentistry to become sustainable.

This book is the first substantial textbook that collates and presents the most current and high-quality evidence in this developing area of research and practice. It leads the way for others in the profession to build on so that dentistry can be more sustainable, and on the forefront of making positive changes for our planet. The contents of the book are both thought-provoking and enlightening on how we as a profession can improve.

This is an excellent resource for those in positions to implement change as well as individuals who want to increase their understanding of this topic and introduce changes in their own working practice.

Ailsa Woodley