Globalisation has brought the world closer together. Yet at the same time it has made it harder for Brits to buy British goods due to the competition with cheaper options from abroad.[i] A recent survey identified the need for improving the availability of British-made products, with 36% of consumers struggling to find British goods.[ii] This is something worth supporting – consider the benefits of British beef, produced to some of the highest welfare standards in the world, and how buying it supports local farmers.
British-produced goods therefore come with a stamp of quality, and this extends to the dental industry and infection control products, ensuring a high level of patient care. It can be hard to define what ‘buying British’ actually means, but to qualify, the produce must be produced, manufactured or assembled within the UK. As such, there are a multitude of reasons to back British brands.
Meet regulations and guarantee quality
Infection control is a core pillar of the daily workflow in a dental practice. As such, infection control products used in the country should be compliant with UK standards to be able to make certain claims, ensuring safe use and protecting patients. EN 14885 lists the tests required to make claims for disinfectants and the organisms it is effective against. This is not mandatory, but the testing the standard refers to is in order to make claims about the effectiveness of the product. For instance, a product marked with EN 13727 or EN 14561 demonstrates bactericidal efficacy, but it must have completed the tests to claim this. Similarly, HTM guidance is a strongly recommended stamp of approval for products to follow in the UK.
British standards also extend to the employees. When buying from within the country, you can expect that the team at the other end are working to a high standard with the appropriate welfare in place.
Supply chain reliability
Buying British products strengthens the reliability of your supply chain. 2025 saw the disruption caused when imports and exports are raised; a time when 67 per cent of consumers were concerned about the inflated costs of products bought outside of the UK.[iii] The last six years in particular have reinforced the impact global events have on our everyday lives, with companies seeing increased costs due to changes in the supply chain. For dental practices, price surges can alter the monthly and annual finances of the business, making it harder to budget and running the risk of raising costs for patients.
By supporting British businesses, you can access a more consistent and reliable supply chain. Whilst increases may be inevitable, using products that are manufactured and sold in the UK reduces anxieties over global events and the knock-on impact on your practice. British companies also have geographical benefits: proximity to the practice means easier and faster delivery journeys, whilst the communication channels are also clearer – no time zone differences, no international calling charges, no language barriers. This is vital if you need to report an error.
Reducing miles to metres
Dentistry must play its role in reducing its environmental footprint. A study[iv] into sustainability practices in the dental industry identified the following as areas to improve:
- Management of hazardous waste
- Reducing, reusing and recycling waste
- Using sustainable dental and oral hygiene materials
- Consumption of energy and water
Whilst these are the main areas that a practice should consider to lower its carbon footprint, you should also assess where your products and deliveries are coming from.
A government study observed a 3 per cent increase in the UK’s carbon footprint as a result of emissions from imported goods, emphasising the long journeys and fuel used to transport goods from abroad. In contrast, in 2022, emissions relating to the consumption of goods and services produced in the UK were 43 per cent lower than in 2001.[v] This is double-edged – whilst the lower number could be due to lower levels of British manufacturing, it could also be a reflection of the sustainable practices that British businesses have enacted to reduce emissions. By buying British dental products, your practice can play its part in bringing down the UK’s – and the world’s – carbon emissions by supporting shorter journeys.
A brand to trust
For a reliable supplier of infection control products, look no further than Dentisan. Able to deliver and educate across the UK, Dentisan is a British brand you can trust, with an expansive portfolio that is HTM 01-05 compliant and filled with reliable solutions. Committed to sustainability, Dentisan is here to support your practice, patients and the wider world.
The benefits of supporting British businesses are too good to ignore, from reducing your carbon footprint to guaranteeing that regulations are met. In an uncertain world, trust in British businesses to enhance your dental practice and ensure a reliable and quality-driven workflow for your patients.
For more information about Dentisan, please visit https://dentisan.co.uk/
Book your in-practice CPD by emailing your request to the expert in your area:
For the Midlands, North Wales & North of England, contact Jenny: jenny.nixon@getinge.com
For the South of England, Wales & Channel Islands, contact Anne: anne.harris@getinge.com
For Scotland, Ireland & Northern Ireland, contact Holly: holly.dickinson@getinge.com
Author: Jenny Nixon, Business Development Director at Dentisan
[i] Nair, S., Kurian, M.A., Mr. Joel Jiji, Joseph, J.B. and Arya, M. (2024). Impact of Globalisation on Local Business. Impact of Globalisation on Local Business, [online] 2(12), pp.3834–3843. doi:https://doi.org/10.47392/IRJAEM.2024.0568.
[ii] Made in Britain. (2025). Made in Britain. [online] Available at: https://www.madeinbritain.org/about/data-and-insights/buying-british-survey-2025.
[iii] Home.barclays. (2025). UK consumers commit to buying British, as two thirds report concerns about prices of imports following ‘Liberation Day’ | Barclays. [online] Available at: https://home.barclays/news/press-releases/2025/04/uk-consumers-commit-to-buying-british–as-two-thirds-report-conc/.
[iv] Guerra, M., Morgado, M., Leira, Y., Leitão, T., Botelho, J. and Mendes, J.J. (2025). Integrating sustainability in dentistry: a pathway towards achieving the UN 2030 agenda. Frontiers in Oral Health, 6. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/froh.2025.1549020.
[v] for, D. (2025). Carbon footprint for the UK and England to 2022. [online] GOV.UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uks-carbon-footprint/carbon-footprint-for-the-uk-and-england-to-2022.
