While helping the environment isn't likely to figure high on the list of concerns when one visits a dentist, even for Mother Earth's most devoted, one Sherman Oaks practitioner is looking to change all that.

Dr. Joseph Azizi, a specialist for more than 25 years and a faculty member at the USC School of Dentistry, recently opened the area's only "green" dental practice, dedicated to easing dentistry's environmental impact while providing safer patient practices.

"In general, there is a lot of waste in dentistry and there is a lot we can do to help the environment," Azizi said. "We have begun to take those steps and are always looking to improve."

Azizi and his staff at Green Dental & Orthodontics at 14401 Burbank Blvd. have instituted a host of procedures to lessen the impact on the environment. These include:

• state-of-the-art digital X-rays, which virtually eliminate dangerous radiation; amalgam "separaters" that help reduce the nearly 3.7 tons of mercury that dentists release into the environment each year;
• crowns made of bio-compatible porcelain rather than toxic metals;
• and a digital records and charts system that eliminates paper waste.

According to Azizi, the biggest waste in dentistry is in disposable infection control, which includes chair barriers, covers, bibs and other equipment made to be tossed out after each patient visit. He said more than 680 million pieces of such waste are discarded each year in the United States.

Green Dental's solution has been to use the latest in bio-degradable sprays and other disinfectants so the materials can be reused.

Green Dental switched to its eco-friendly system in January and the response has been tremendous, both from patients as well as from other dentists around the country, said Amanda Razi, Green Dental's operations manager. The workload at the facility, which recently underwent a complete refurbishment, has more than doubled since going green in January.

"We have received e-mails from dentists all over the country seeking additional information and, in fact, it's taken us a little by surprise," Razi said. "We've been so busy with patients we don't even know where to begin."

One such patient is Joe Goldberger of Los Feliz, a repeat customer who was visiting the facility this week for a routine cleaning. Goldberg previously had his dental work done at UCLA, but has since become an avid supporter of Green Dental.

"This was the best cleaning I've had in 10 years," Goldberger said. "There was absolutely no pain involved. This doctor has a very good touch when he works and the prices are really quite reasonable. Add the fact you're being a little more environmentally friendly and it's a great deal."

Azizi said Green Dental's rates are actually lower than its competitors. The facility currently offers insurance rates of $120 a year for individuals, $195 a year for couple's and $250 a year for families up to four. Coverage includes free consultation and exams, fluoride treatment and two free teach cleanings a year. 

Other amenities provided by Green Dental include pillows and blankets for patients to help them feel more at ease, as well as flat-screen monitors in every room. The facility also boasts a full range of services, including endodontics (root canal treatment), periodontology, orthodontistry and oral surgery, which means patients don't have to worry about being sent to a different facility for specific work.

Azizi anticipates green dentistry to become a growing consumer demand, noting there are no similar practices in a region that's considered to be among the most highly eco-conscious in the nation.

"There is not a single green dentist in North Hollywood," he said. "Nor is there any dentist in Van Nuys practicing dentistry like I do. Yet the public is growing more and more aware of the need for environmentally friendly practices wherever they do business. They want their dentist in Los Angeles to be as eco-friendly as they are."