How does a dental clinic work out its carbon footprint?
Start with the electricity bill, then add any nitrous oxide used for sedation, LPG or diesel, and the main purchases: consumables, instruments and lab work. Nitrous oxide is a direct Scope 1 emission with a global warming potential of 273, so a few cylinders matter.
Scope 1 and 2
- Electricity for chairs, compressors, autoclaves and air conditioning.
- Nitrous oxide bought, in kilograms.
- Backup genset diesel.
Scope 3
- Gloves, masks and single-use items.
- Dental lab work sent out.
- Patient travel, if you choose to estimate it.
Nitrous oxide
- 20 kg N2O in a year x 273 = 5,460 kg CO2e
What Senseible does here
Senseible reads quantities, dates and units from your bills and invoices and shows the factor and source used on every line.
Sources: GHG Protocol Corporate Standard, IPCC AR6 WG1, global warming potentials
Last reviewed 2026-10-22.