Embracing Tiny Changes: Sustainability in Orthodontics

Introduction

In Part 2 of the Hey Docs! podcast episode featuring Dr. Madeleine Goodman, host Jill Allen continues her conversation with an orthodontist, practice owner, and advocate for sustainability in dentistry. As the founder of Harmony Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics and past president of the Middle Atlantic Society of Orthodontists (MASO), Dr. Goodman is helping redefine what it means to lead with purpose in the orthodontic industry. Together, Jill and Dr. Goodman explore how the Tiny Changes Recycling Program is helping practices reduce waste, engage patients, and make sustainability part of their daily operations.

Rethinking Waste: How One Small Shift Sparked a Movement

Dr. Goodman shares that her sustainability journey started with a single small change. After realizing how much plastic waste her office produced, she decided to eliminate plastic bags entirely. Instead, her team switched to paper alternatives. That simple decision created a ripple effect and laid the foundation for a larger vision: helping the entire profession move toward more environmentally responsible practices.

The Birth of the Tiny Changes Recycling Program

While serving as president of MASO, Dr. Goodman noticed a recycling box for used contact lenses at her optometrist’s office and had an idea. If optometrists could recycle single-use items, orthodontists could too.

Partnering with TerraCycle, a company that specializes in transforming hard-to-recycle materials into reusable products, Dr. Goodman helped launch the Tiny Changes Recycling Program. The program provides dental and orthodontic offices with a simple, effective way to recycle aligners, sterilization pouches, and other materials that usually end up in the trash.

How It Works

Practices can order a three-foot-tall recycling box that holds up to 1,000 aligners, with the first box provided free of charge. Once full, the box is shipped back to TerraCycle, where the contents are processed and converted into reusable goods.

This straightforward system helps reduce waste and encourages patient involvement. Every time a patient drops an aligner into the box, they take part in a collective effort to protect the environment.

Progress, Persistence, and the Power of Community

Dr. Goodman is open about the challenges she faced in building momentum for this initiative. When a corporate partnership unexpectedly ended, she found new ways to keep the project alive. Through collaboration with MASO and the Council on Orthodontic Practice (COOP), she continues to advocate for sustainability to remain a priority topic in the orthodontic community.

Her message is simple but powerful: change happens through persistence, consistency, and shared purpose.

Looking Ahead: A Greener Future for Dentistry

Dr. Goodman’s long-term goal is to expand the Tiny Changes Recycling Program into general dental practices across the United States and Canada. She believes meaningful change is built through small, intentional actions. A single recycling box or paper bag might seem minor, but together, these efforts create real impact. Each practice that joins the movement helps shape a more sustainable and forward-thinking dental industry.

Final Thoughts

Dr. Maddy Goodman’s work shows that innovation in orthodontics doesn’t always come from big, sweeping changes. It often starts with small, thoughtful actions that challenge the norm. The Tiny Changes Recycling Program proves that sustainability and patient care can go hand in hand.

For orthodontic practices ready to make a difference beyond beautiful smiles, sustainability is more than a trend—it is an opportunity to lead with intention.