Transcendentist’s model for environmentally sound dental practices has earned it the distinction of being the first dental office in the country to be certified as a green business, and the only dental office in Berkeley that does not require a hazardous waste permit.
In an industry that typically creates large amounts of waste, Transcendentist has diverted nearly 100,000 pieces of plastic and paper annually through steam sterilization and reusable bibs alone. Digital patient charting, scheduling and billing has saved approximately 50,000 sheets of paper over the life of the practice. Other waste-saving measures include reusable cloth light cover handles, cloth patient bibs replacing plastic barriers on the dental chairs and purchase of cleaning pastes and other materials in bulk.
Transcendentist has also minimized toxics: it has diverted more than 200 liters of toxic x-ray fixer and 17,200 lead foils by employing a digital imaging system (which also exposes patients to 85% less radiation); its amalgam separator captures between 1.5 and 3 pounds of mercury-containing waste each year; dental chairs are disinfected with biodegradable disinfectants and all cloth items are washed using non-toxic detergents and germicides.
The founders of Transcendentist, Dr. Fred and Ina Pockrass, are also active in efforts to green the dental and medical industries through working with the nonprofit Teleosis organization and establishing the Eco-Dentistry Association. Their trail-blazing efforts have garnered significant press, and annual revenues now exceed $1 million, placing Transcendentist in the top 5% of dental offices nationwide, proving that its eco-friendly dental methods are friendly to the bottom-line.
Awards Home