The Future of Dentistry Products: How Can We Redesign the Products We Create

This chapter looks at the future of dentistry products; how redesign of the products we create is pivotal; with sustainability needing to be one of the key principles for all product reform, and the main driver for evolving manufacturing processes. It needs to drive change and not be the unintended co-beneficiary of efficiency-driven changes. Innovation will play a major role in enabling meaningful sustainable solutions to enter the dental marketplace.

Consumers need to accept their share of responsibility in supporting sustainable change and their role in co-producing sustainable solutions. Within this chapter the processes used to drive innovation are shared with the intention to inspire and ignite imagination and creativity amongst our readers.

Often one of the simplest approaches/processes is the most sustainable. Part of the key concepts discussed include biomimicry (imitating nature), and ideally the creation of a sustainable product-service systems (SPSS) where we eliminate the need for products should be considered. Readers familiar with the process of critical appraisal should also consider if greenwashing is being used for any statement which relates to sustainability.