Eco-News: Downtown Austin’s First GREEN Dental Practice

Making itself at home just south of downtown Austin’s Whole Foods Market, a small, locally-owned business offers a brand new avenue for going green that is leaving environmentalists with a beautiful smile.

The first eco-friendly dental practice ever to become gold-certified, SoLa Dental of Austin has achieved the Eco-Dentistry Association’s highest standards in waste reduction, energy and water conservation, and pollution prevention.

Established by dentist Tom Gent, this local business offers personalized dental care and modern, mercury-free dentistry. “We are a certified GreenDoc practice and have made every effort to ensure our office was built and operates with a minimal footprint,” explains Gent. “We are also one of the select few practices in Central Texas that offer safe removal of mercury amalgam fillings and metal-free dental implants.”

Dr. Gent’s office uses digital imaging and digital patient charting to reduce landfill waste and lower patient radiation exposure by as much as 90%. He also has installed a special mercury-capturing device to prevent heavy metals from entering local water supplies.

Altogether, the EDA-recommended practices implemented by Sola Dental earned 307 points (the highest of any certified practice):

– BPA-free dental resins and plant-based dental therapeutics

– Safe metal amalgam removal

– State-of-the-art mercury vapor air filtration system

– Non-invasive salivary diagnostics

– Non-toxic sterilization and disinfection practices

– Water and energy-efficient dental machinery and appliances

– Paperless managerial and clinical practices

– Office waste reduction in operational and clinical practices

– Formaldehyde-free office cabinets and VOC-free office paints and adhesives

– Recyclable and sustainably-crafted office building materials

– Non-toxic plant-based office cleaning products

Dr. Fred Pockrass, co-founder of the EDA, said, “We applaud the efforts of Dr. Gent and his team, who are on the leading edge of dentistry’s green future. It is our vision that one day all dentistry will be practiced in the earth-friendly and patient-friendly way of SoLa Dental of Austin.”

Dr. Gent attended the University of Texas at Austin before graduating with awards for excellence in general dentistry, prosthodontics, and implant dentistry from UT’s dental school in San Antonio. He runs his practice alongside his wife and office manager, Molly Gent.

Dr. Gent says, “Our passion is helping people achieve healthy beautiful smiles, in the most biocompatible ways possible.”

Need a new dentist? Try on a new shade of green! Call the Gents at (512) 861-8808, or visit them in Central Austin, just south of Ladybird Lake. SoLa Dental is located across from P. Terry’s Burgers at the southwest corner of South Lamar and Butler Road. The street address is 300 South Lamar Boulevard, #N, Austin, TX 78704.

Austin luxury REALTOR® Brian Talley supports green businesses like SoLa Dental of Austin. He also helps home-buyers stay on top of the latest in Austin home trends, from Steiner Ranch villas to new homes in Travis Country.