Dental perspective of biomedical waste management – A comprehensive review

Biomedical waste (BMW) management is a serious issue and need evaluation at the very site of generation. An old English proverb ‘A stitch in time saves nine’ also applies aptly to the safe disposal of wastes generated at the health care facilities. Dental clinics/hospitals/institutes though, may not generate copious amount of biomedical waste but put together they contribute substantial amount to be of concern to the human and environmental health. Thus the aim at every stage should be to produce as less waste as possible and to segregate the generated waste at the source for suitable disposal. We as dental professionals are ethically and legally bound to follow the BMW management protocols. This article discusses applicability of BMW management in practice of dentistry, in light of BMW management rules and National Accreditation Board for Hospital & Health Care Providers (NABH) dental standards.