Creating an environmentally friendly dental practice.

In 1994, Darryl Diefes, DDS, a Whiteville, NC, dentist was troubled. The local newspaper reported on dangerous mercury levels in fish in nearby Lake Waccamaw, a popular fishing spot. Dr. Diefes began to worry about the source of the mercury. “I knew I handled a lot of mercury in my office and I wanted to know if I was somehow contributing to the problem,” Dr. Diefes explains. That report marked a turning point. Dr. Diefes decided to look into the potential mercury discharge from his office. What he found motivated him to change the way he and his staff handle and dispose of mercury. “That lake is just so pretty and there are so many health issues associated with mercury contamination that I couldn’t stand the thought that I might be contributing to the problem,” he says.