How To Dispose of Old Dental Equipment: A Complete Guide for Your Practice

Do you have an old X-ray machine your dental practice doesn’t use? Get rid of unwanted dental equipment to make room for newer upgrades to keep your practice on the cutting edge.

But before you do, ensure you know how to dispose of old dental equipment. Properly disposing of aging dental or medical equipment can prevent toxic materials from harming the environment. It also keeps your dental office within the limits of the law and sets you up with other benefits.

Check out our guide on how to recycle used dental equipment below.

Why Proper Disposal of Old Dental Equipment Is Essential

Did you know an old dental X-ray machine may contain toxic chemicals? X-ray equipment and X-ray films might include the following:

• Ammonium thiocyanate and boric anhydride, which can cause skin irritation and kidney problems
• Hydroquinone, which can cause dizziness, headaches, and vomiting
• Polychlorinated biphenyls, which can cause skin conditions, liver damage, and cancer

Because of this, it is important to figure out how to dispose of old dental equipment like X-ray machines and X-ray films. If you don’t, you could cause other human beings to suffer and harm the environment with the toxic substances found in them.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has created strict guidelines that dentists and dental practices must follow:

• Properly identify hazardous materials.
• Avoid storing over 2,200 pounds of hazardous waste at a time.
• Dispose of hazardous materials at an appropriate facility.

If the EPA learns your dental practice didn’t take the right steps when disposing of hazardous waste, you could face fines and other legal ramifications.

Common Methods for Disposing of Old Dental Equipment

The good news for those deciding how to dispose of old dental equipment is that there are many safe, legal options. Pick out the best one.

Selling or Donating Usable Equipment

Do you have used equipment that still has life left? Think about selling preowned dental equipment.

A used dental equipment vendor who purchases excess equipment from practices might want it. You may also generate interest by listing it in your local dental classifieds and pricing it to sell.

Try to sell this equipment by listing it on an online marketplace or in your local dental society classifieds. There are over 180,000 dental businesses within the U.S. dental community, and you might find a dentist or other dental professionals willing to pay a pretty penny for used equipment. See whether you have any luck on the preowned equipment market.

You can also consider donating used equipment. Charitable organizations like the MSDA Foundation and World Dental Relief might take older equipment off your hands and help you earn a tax write-off. Low-cost clinics may also accept it to treat patients.

Recycling Used Dental Equipment

Is your used equipment clearly on its last legs and not worth selling or even donating? Proper disposal is probably your best option — and the safest.

If you opt to take this approach, begin by evaluating your equipment to see whether it contains hazardous waste. If it does, arrange to drop it off at a facility that can take it and ensure it’s properly disposed of.

Partnering With Professional Waste Disposal Services

Certain certified waste disposal companies specialize in helping dental professionals dispose of dental equipment. BioServ, Inc. and Chemgon X-Ray Chemical Disposal come to mind.

You can also depend on other companies to accept old dental instruments you wish to recycle. Premier Dental, for example, offers its Premier Instrument Recycling Program for dental instruments. By recycling dental instruments through a company like this, you may even receive new dental instruments for free.

Manufacturer Take-Back Programs

Some manufacturers extend take-back or trade-in programs that you can consider taking advantage of when determining how to dispose of old dental equipment. They’ll arrange to pick up old equipment and might even offer a discount on new equipment.

Steps To Take Before Disposing of Old Dental Equipment

Before you say goodbye to dental equipment, take the right steps to dispose of it properly. Here is how you can safely get rid of equipment from your dental clinic.

Assess the Equipment’s Condition

Is the dental or medical equipment you want to dispose of in decent shape? Consider selling it for fair market value or donating it to maximize its use.

However, if it’s not in good working condition, steer clear of trying to sell or donate it to someone else. You could get in trouble for knowingly selling equipment like this to an unsuspecting buyer. You could also waste a charitable organization’s time.

Remove Sensitive Information

If the equipment you’d like to take out of your office contains sensitive patient information, wipe it clean before putting it up for sale, donating it, or even disposing of it.

If you fail to take this step, you run the risk of having dental patient records fall into the wrong hands. Protect the privacy of your patients by removing information from old equipment.

Proper Documentation and Record Keeping

There is a chance the EPA or another agency may approach you after you’ve disposed of old equipment to inquire about it. Document the disposal process so you can prove you took the correct steps.

Keeping records related to how to dispose of old dental equipment might also come in handy the next time you need to throw out equipment.

Best Practices for Sustainable Disposal

A 2020 study on sustainability within the dental industry found that almost all dental practices planned to take steps to make their offices more eco-friendly. Hopefully, your dental clinic has already found ways to do this.

Learning how to dispose of old dental equipment without harming the environment can take your sustainability efforts to the next level.

Opt for Environmentally Friendly Products

Are you getting rid of old X-ray machines and replacing them with digital ones? Make sure new equipment will not present problems when you recycle it in the future.

Regular Equipment Audits

Monitor all the equipment your dental practice relies on regularly. Identify equipment that is reaching the end of its life and plan to dispose of it properly.

Employee Training on Disposal Procedures

Talk to your employees about properly disposing of equipment, instruments, supplies, and other waste. Commit to creating a recycling program, too.

Common Mistakes To Avoid When Disposing of Dental Equipment

Unfortunately, many dental offices make crucial mistakes when disposing of dental equipment. Here are a few:

• Failing to remove patient information from equipment
• Disposing of electronic components from dental equipment improperly and creating electronic waste
• Overlooking manufacturer take-back or trade-in programs that could make disposing of equipment easier.

Dispose of Your Practice’s Dental or Medical Equipment Properly

If you don’t understand how to dispose of old dental equipment, you might make critical errors in the process that could hurt the environment and leave you facing fines. Use what you’ve learned here to ensure old dental or medical equipment is properly disposed of.

Weave can help you take charge of your dental practice’s equipment disposal protocol. Get a demo of Weave’s platform to discover how it can streamline your practice management, including handling the logistics of equipment disposal.

Leveraging Weave’s Solutions for Streamlined Practice Efficiency

Weave’s solutions can greatly benefit your dental practice by streamlining its management. Seamlessly handle tasks like sending appointment reminders to patients, helping patients with online scheduling, and allowing patients to fill out digital forms. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)