Carbon footprint of private dental laboratories in Egypt: A cross-sectional study

Private dental laboratories in Egypt produce a significant amount of carbon emissions. Staff travel was the major contributor to the carbon emission because each laboratory hired several couriers to deliver the prostheses/appliances and impressions. The CFP of electricity consumption was significant, likely because the air conditioning ran throughout the year to cool the machines down. Future studies are needed to develop customized country-specific CFP calculators to accurately measure the carbon emissions of dental laboratories in various settings. Preventing oral diseases, educating technicians on sustainable dental practices, optimizing public transportation, using bulk delivery services, shifting to renewable energy, and adopting circular economy are essential to mitigate the carbon emissions of dental laboratories.