Darby Partners With American Nitrile and Will Distribute New DenTouch Gloves

After announcing a strategic investment this week, Darby Dental Supply prepares to become the first dental supplier to distribute the highly anticipated DenTouch™ Gloves—a new glove designed to meet the unique needs of the dental market with patented compression tip technology that improves dexterity and simplifies handling of small, intricate instruments used by dentists and dental hygienists.

Darby Group Companies, the parent company of Darby Dental Supply, announced the strategic investment in American Nitrile, the largest US manufacturer of nitrile gloves. The manufacturer, based in Grove City, Ohio, states the patented compression tip technology brings an impactful innovation to nitrile gloves.

The new DenTouch gloves are said to feature several key advantages over their foreign-produced counterparts, including optimal protection by meeting a pinhole AQL of 1.5, exceeding the FDA requirement by 60%. All manufacturing and R&D take place in American Nitrile’s state-of-the-art facility in Ohio. The company says this ensures ethical labor practices and sustainable manufacturing processes during every step of production. Furthermore, this eliminates trans-pacific shipping and port delays, and the need to carry high safety stock, according to American Nitrile. The company also emphasizes sustainability at all levels, reportedly recycling up to 40 gallons of water per case of gloves and using 100% recycled and recyclable cardboard packaging.

“Darby Group Companies’ commitment to bringing best-in-class solutions to the dental market has been central to our investment strategy,” Frank Massino, president, says in a press release. “At the core of our business, we believe in making our customers’ lives easier and more efficient through innovative solutions to everyday problems. DenTouch gloves are a game-changer for the dental market because of their improved dexterity and unmatched ability to handle small instruments for more efficient and comfortable procedures. We are thrilled to bring the benefits of these gloves to dental practices and, in turn, to improve the quality of patient care, nationwide.”

Bringing the new gloves to market is a good fit for the company, which maintains an entire division dedicated to gloves. “Love Your Glove” by Darby provides customers with a vast selection of nitrile, polychloroprene, latex gloves and more, as well as expertise on fit and functionality though the company’s highly trained support staff.

“Darby’s commitment to innovation, sustainability, and bringing the highest quality products to market is a natural extension of our own commitment and mission,” adds Jacob Block, CEO and Founder of American Nitrile, in the press release. “We are thrilled to leverage their decades of experience, expansive distribution network, and unwavering dedication to their customers to bring DenTouch gloves to market.”

Dental professionals can get a first look at the DenTouch gloves at Dykema’s Definitive Conference for DSOs in Aurora, Colorado, from July 19-21, where they will be debuted and receive a 2023 Innovation Award. Practices nationwide can begin placing orders at this time.