Go Green with Your Dental Practice: Expert Tips from our 2024 Green Leader, Valarie Caulfield, DAADOM
We are very excited to introduce you all to our 2024 Green Leader:
Valarie Caulfield, DAADOM, Office Manager at Sodorff & Wilson Family Dentistry in Spokane Valley, Washington!
Creating an environmentally friendly culture and mindset within your dental practice has an impact that reaches far beyond the physical walls of the office. Made possible by a grant from the Henry Schein Cares Foundation, AADOM created this award as part of its Green Leader Initiative, which aims to empower practice managers to reduce their practices’ environmental footprint and lead their teams in becoming part of dentistry’s green future.
Environmentally-Friendly “Green” Tips for Your Dental Practice
Throughout the year, we’ll update this post with Valarie’s top tips for your dental practice, with the newest at the top:
Tip 1: Install a Wall-Mounted Water Cooler
Patients are welcome to bring their own water bottles to refill. This helps the office reduce plastic waste and lower water delivery costs. By choosing to refill instead of relying on single-use plastics, we can all contribute to a healthier planet!
Tip 2: Create a Sustainable Staff Lounge
As part of our commitment to becoming more environmentally conscious, let’s focus on making our staff lounge greener this month! Instead of relying on disposable paper plates and plastic cutlery, invest in inexpensive reusable plates and flatware. By doing the dishes, we can significantly reduce our waste, keeping unnecessary plastics and paper out of our landfills.
Here are a few steps to implement this change:
- Purchase Reusable Plates and Flatware: Choose durable and eco-friendly options that can withstand daily use and washing.
- Encourage Team Participation: Post a daily schedule in the staff lounge for team members to take turns doing the dishes. This not only fosters teamwork but also ensures that everyone plays a role in maintaining our green initiative.
- Track Savings: Keep a record of how much money your practice saves by cutting down on disposable supplies. You might be surprised at the financial benefits of this small change!
Together, we can make a positive impact on our environment and reduce our footprint while creating a more sustainable and cost-effective workplace. Let’s embrace this green initiative and enjoy our meals with less waste! Happy Greening!
Tip 3: Make Recycling Easy with Blue Cans
To foster a more sustainable office environment, one simple yet effective step we can take is to implement blue recycling cans in all areas of our office.
Why Blue Recycling Cans?
Having recycle bins readily available increases the likelihood that we will use them. The more convenient it is to recycle, the more we’ll actually do it!
Here’s how you can get started:
- Place Blue Cans Throughout the Office: Ensure that blue recycle cans are accessible in common areas, break rooms, meeting rooms, and individual workspaces.
- Regularly Empty the Cans: When the cans fill up, simply transfer the recyclables to your curbside bin. This keeps our office organized and makes recycling part of our routine.
- For Larger Offices: If your office space is larger, consider ordering a big recycling dumpster to accompany your trash dumpster. You’ll be surprised at how quickly it fills up with recyclable items like glove boxes, water jugs, cardboard, and other materials.
By taking these steps, we can significantly reduce our waste and contribute to a healthier planet. Let’s commit to making recycling an easy and integral part of our daily operations!
Together, we can make a difference!
Tip 4: Install LED Exit Signs
Ensure that your office uses LED exit signs. They consume significantly less energy than traditional incandescent lights and have a longer lifespan, reducing waste and costs.
Meet AADOM’s 2024 Green Leader!
What is my definition of being a green leader:
Being a green leader in our dental practice means prioritizing sustainability and environmental responsibility while providing excellent patient care.
As a leader, I strive to inspire our team to adopt green practice, such as proper recycling protocols, minimizing water usage, recycling and sourcing environmentally friendly products.
Additionally, being a green leader means staying informed about industry advancements in sustainable dentistry. Ultimately, it’s about creating a healthier environment for both our patients and the community, showing that good dental care can also align with good stewardship of the planet.
How does my team support my efforts?
My dental team supports my efforts to be a green leader in several impactful ways:
- Eco-Friendly Practices: They implement sustainable practices in our office, such as reducing waste by using digital records instead of paper and utilizing environmentally friendly dental materials.
- Energy Efficiency: We also invest in energy-efficient equipment and lighting. We replaced all overhead lighting in the operatories with energy-efficient lights. And all of our providers wear headlamps to cut down on using the overhead light
- Recycle Bins: We have recycle bins in all areas to place cardboard, plastics, and anything recyclable.
- Waste Management: Proper disposal of hazardous materials and promoting recycling programs for items like plastic and paper significantly reduce our waste.
- Selling old equipment: Our office had a major remodel of the interior of the building, and we were able to reduce our waste by advertising in the marketplace to sell off some of the old furniture, file cabinets, and equipment.
By working together on these initiatives, our dental team can create a more sustainable practice while reinforcing my leadership in green efforts!
What is my favorite GREEN thing to do?
I LOVE recycling! Anything and everything that I can place in that big blue bin, I do! And I try not to be the recycling police……lol!
How does my work GREEN mindset carry over to my home life?
When we lived in rural Oregon, we didn’t have a dedicated recycling program because we lived too far from the city limits. When I moved to the Inland Northwest, I was so thrilled to have curbside recycling.
So, I suppose I make my husband a little crazy by putting everything possible in the blue bin. I just wish they came every week instead of every other week. We have very little in our actual waste bin.
As the 2024-25 Green Leader, what would I like to share with practice owners about how their leadership can impact the environmental impact at their practice?
- Setting the Vision: Owners should create a clear plan for being eco-friendly. When they focus on sustainable practices, it encourages the whole team to care about the environment.
- Smart Spending: Investing in energy-efficient equipment and sustainable materials can save money over time and reduce the practice’s impact on the planet. Team up with your dental supply rep to place orders for products that are sustainable and environmentally friendly. Ask them to help obtain samples of sustainable products. Try them out and order for the office if you love them. Use biodegradable supplies. Use supplies that aren’t one use. Cut down on plastics used in the breakrooms (plates and utensils) by ordering a set of dishes and silverware.
- Involving Employees: Getting staff involved in green initiatives makes them feel more connected and responsible. Training sessions can help them share their ideas and solutions. Let your team have the freedom to create best practices! Create a reduce, reuse, recycle program for the practice
- Open Communication: Talking openly about sustainability goals and progress with staff and builds trust and encourages everyone to work together. Celebrating achievements boosts team pride.
Let your practice owner know you are willing to take on this project so they can continue to provide the best dentistry has to offer!
Valarie Caulfield: A Passionate Leader in Dental Practice Management
Valarie Caulfield began her remarkable journey in the field of dentistry in 1984, embarking on a career that has spanned nearly four decades. In 1991, she took on the role of office manager, where she found her true calling in the business side of dentistry. Valarie thrives on the opportunity to help dentists effectively manage their multi-million dollar practices, combining her love for the field with her keen business acumen.
In 2011, Valarie became a proud member of the American Association of Dental Office Managers (AADOM), where she quickly recognized the value of ongoing professional development. Her dedication to the field was further underscored in 2015 when she earned her fellowship from AADOM, a prestigious accomplishment that highlights her commitment to excellence in dental office management. Continuing her pursuit of knowledge, Valarie achieved her Master designation virtually in 2020, showcasing her adaptability and dedication to growth.
In 2021, Valarie was honored to be among the first class of Diplomates, solidifying her status as a leader and expert in her field. She is passionate about coaching others, sharing her expertise on everything from basic operations to cultivating a positive team culture and analyzing key performance indicators (KPIs).
Dentistry is not just a career for Valarie; it’s her passion. She truly loves her life and the meaningful connections she builds within the dental community. With a wealth of experience and an unwavering dedication to her profession, Valarie Caulfield continues to inspire those around her and elevate the standard of dental practice management.
Valarie lives in Spokane Valley, WA, with her husband Ed. They just celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary. She enjoys baking, sewing, quilting, and spending time with her family.
About the AADOM Green Leader Initiative:
The AADOM Green Leader Initiative empowers dental practice leaders to adopt greener practices in the dental office. The initiative aims to engage members to reduce the environmental impact of “business as usual” dentistry and to show how there are real bottom-line benefits to implementing specific changes that will result in reducing waste and using environmentally friendly products.
This initiative is made possible through a generous grant from the Henry Schein Cares Foundation.
Are you our next Green Leader?
Criteria to nominate the 2025 Green Leader:
- Use of Green Products in the practice
- Use of Green Practices
- Current AADOM member and Office Manager
- Must be present at the 2025 AADOM Conference
- Environmental mindset around your dental practice
- Sets example for his/her dental team
Stay tuned to learn how to nominate our 2025 Green Leader!
