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what kind of oral hygiene advice do you give to your patients?i take a minimalist approach to dentistry. i teach patients the most basic, organic method of caring for their mouths. it's simple: brush, floss, scrape your tongue, and see a dentist regularly.what was your inspiration for creating your dental practice green dentistry?i was raised in a small village in india where i learned to value everything. both my upbringing and religion taught me to be very minimalist and organic. i knew i always wanted to be a dentist, but i also wanted to contribute to the greater good of society. i realized that i could do both with my practice—establish a career i was passionate about and also give back to the environment. so i established green dentistry one and a half years ago.what does it mean to be a green dentist?in my practice, we use an all-natural toothpaste made in india that has only three ingredients—calcium carbonate, meswak [a plant the helps strengthen teeth] and sorbitol. we use recycled toothbrushes made from yogurt cups, washable bibs, and reusable porcelain cups. our dental materials are biocompatible [they won't cause harmful or adverse reactions in your body]. we use steam-based instrument sterilization to eliminate the use of harmful chemicals, we have a special filtration system for environmentally sound disposal of old mercury fillings [to prevent pollution of our water system], and we produce zero lead waste. last but not least, we use digital imaging, not x-rays, which means 90% less radiation for patients [and no toxic x-ray development chemicals].in addition to cleanings and preventive care, what other dental services do you offer?i aim to find the best natural alternative to all dental services so that my practice offers everything you would find with a regular dentist.do you find that the natural products you use in your office are as effective as what's on the mainstream market today?it's scientifically proven that natural products without artificial additives are just as effective as what's on the mainstream market. and i am living proof—i have used meswak all my life and have never had a cavity!do you encourage your patients to use only natural products? if so, what natural products do you recommend?i urge my patients to stay away from chemical-based products because they're too abrasive. patients can buy the toothpaste we use in my office, but if they want a more readily available alternative, i recommend tom's of maine and natural dentist. with the increasing number of health and wellness stores selling natural oral care, it's pretty easy to find a substitute for the chemical-heavy staples in your standard drugstore.when was the last time you experienced an eco-conflict and had to weigh a choice between using a natural product versus one that was more easily obtainable?i recently ran out of the toothpaste we use in my office. the toothpaste comes straight from india, so when i run out, i'm really in a bind. i could make my life easier and just use one of the big brands but that's not what my practice is about. i ended up using tom's of maine until another shipment of my toothpaste came from india.what makes your office green?our new leed green office opens january 2008. all rooms use energy efficient lighting and energy conserving appliances. office materials include eco-resins, organic acoustic insulation, and an energy efficient hvac [heating, ventilation and air conditioning] climate control and ventilation system. we use only eco-friendly cleaning products and we recycle bottles, cans, paper, and shipping boxes. and all patient information is stored digitally to eliminate all of those wasteful paper files.what challenges did you face when building your new green office?'greening' the office definitely cost us more. the equipment, sensor-based lighting, and hvac system were more expensive than standard office construction, but i look at it as an investment. it may have been more expensive at the start, but in the long run, our green office will benefit the staff, our patients, and the environment.do you feel that patients have to pay a premium to receive green dental services?i don't look at it as paying a premium for green dentistry. i charge standard fees for services and accept all ppo insurance plans. the only difference is that my practice is not in-network, which means that the patient might have to pay a little more to see us. however, our patients come to us for the personalized service and consultation process not typically representative of most dental practices.your practice is based in san francisco, but how would a non-san franciscan find a dentist like you?i suggest looking in the natural pages. it's like the yellow pages for holistic health care. there is no national directory of green dentists that i know of yet but natural pages currently exists for san francisco, new york, new jersey, pennsylvania, and connecticut.do you have any eco-sins?what can i say: i love my beemer. i know i should be driving a hybrid or taking public transport, but i just can't let go of my car. however, i do offset my carbon output with terrapass.