Determining the amount, type and management of dental wastes in general and specialized dentistry offices of Northern Iran

Dental wastes need comprehensive identification, planning and management due to the presence of hazardous chemicals. The aim of the present study was to investigate the quantity, quality and management of wastes in general and specialized dental offices in Babol, Mazandaran Province. This research was conducted in 40 general dentistry offices with 52 dental units and 240 patients per day and in 13 specialized dentistry offices with 21 units and 78 patients per day through random sampling. Samples were analyzed at the end of the work hour after transferring to a suitable place. The total amount of wastes generated was 333.8 and 340.9 g/unit/day as well as was 72.3 and 91.7 g/patient/day in general and specialized dentistry offices, respectively. In general and specialized dentistry offices, the amount of infectious wastes was 95 and 83.2 g/unit/day as well as 20.6 and 22.4 g/patient/day; Domestic-type wastes was 113.4 and 124.7 g/unit/day as well as 24.6 and 33.5 g/patient/day; chemical toxic waste was 47.3 and 47.04 g/unit/day as well as 10.2 and 12.6 g/patient/day; sharps was 66.1 and 69.6 g/unit/day as well as 14.3 and 18.7 g/patient/day; and amalgams was 11.9 and 16.4 g/unit/day as well as 2.6 and 4.43 g/patient/day. The recycling of silver and mercury was carried out in 7.5% of specialized dentistry offices. Training the dentists is required to perform the activities related to the reduction, separation and recycling of wastes as well as to implement the plan of collection, transportation and disposal of infectious, sharp, chemical-toxic and amalgam wastes according to the relevant criteria.