Eco-Dentistry - White Dental Studio

Eco-Dentistry

White Dental Studio

Southern Oregon welcomes a certified green dental practice

Story by Valerie Coulman

Do you cringe at the thought of something green in your teeth? Maybe that’s about to change.

Southern Oregon recently welcomed a Certified Green Dentist, Dr. Brandon White, with White Dental Studio, an Ashland-based eco-dentistry practice.

“Certainly, environmental responsibilities and stewardship to our earth played a large roll,” recalls White, “but perhaps the largest motivator to bring green dentistry to our community and make similar changes in our family life is our son, Bauer.” Born with a rare chromosomal anomaly, Bauer’s birth led White and his wife, Lauren, to re-examine the importance of whole-life wellness that extended beyond their family to the community around them, and into their business.

“Having an opportunity in 2013 to really step back and evaluate my professional and practice goals provided much-needed clarity as to the type of dental practice I wanted for my patients,” says White. While White has been working in dentistry in Southern Oregon since 2007, the decision to open his own practice opened other possibilities as well.

“The goals my wife and I set for our practice were significant, but very satisfying to implement,” says White. The Whites quickly took up the challenge of meeting the Eco-Dentistry Association’s (EDA) certification requirements for their highest green standards. With the help of S&B James Construction Company (a LEED-certified design-build team) and Patterson Dental, White Dental Studio became the first and only EDA-Certified Gold dental practice in Southern Oregon in early 2014, although they hope not to be the last. “It’s been sort of fun to lead by example,” says White, who sees great value in sharing information with patients and peers alike.

The EDA’s process involves eight separate segments for their certification requirements that White sums up in two main areas.

First, their office uses a combination of advanced technology and every-day practices to reduce waste and conserve energy. The combination of reclaimed woods, no-VOC décor, and natural lighting throughout gives the office a fresh, calming atmosphere in a business where patients typically bring a level of stressful anticipation with them. “One of the things we hear most frequently when a patient or visitor comes in is, "Wow, I've never been to a dental office like this,”” says White. “From start to finish, we strive to make the visit to the dentist as low stress and comfortable as possible.” And the physical environment they’ve created is only the first step.

The second component of their green focus is in their clinical practices. “There are hundreds of thousands, if not over a million, different materials, products, and systems that can be used in dentistry,” observes White. “We are able to evaluate which materials we use commonly in restorative care. From those, we looked at which are going to be most compatible and least invasive to our patients and then offer a variety of options.” From digital x-rays to materials “more compatible with the body,” White’s focus is on providing dental health care that supports an encompassing health and wellness plan for each patient. “Changing the [standard] practice model from diseased-based to wellness-based will take time,” recognizes White, “but our dentistry is at the forefront of total body health and wellness.”

As they recently tweeted, “Finally, having something “green in your teeth” isn’t so bad!”

White Dental Studio

727 N Main St, Ashland

541-708-6288

www.mywhitedental.com