Essentials Made Easy with CRITERION PPE

In dentistry, PPE isn't optional, and with new options hitting the market constantly—not to mention an influx of counterfeit choices—choosing the right gloves and masks can feel like a full-time job. Henry Schein's CRITERION line cuts through the noise with a head-to-toe lineup of masks, gloves, garments, and protective eyewear.

Here, we highlight 2 choices from the lineup worth talking about—CRITERION Chloroprene Exam Gloves in aqua blue and CRITERION Fitted Earloop Masks.

A Great Fit and a Good Grip: CRITERION Chloroprene Exam Gloves in Aqua Blue

CRITERION's softest chloroprene exam glove offers the comfort and fit of latex with the synthetic strength of nitrile. This makes the gloves both puncture- and tear-resistant, especially during high-risk procedures.

“These gloves actually fit my hands better than other gloves I’ve used,” shared Malee Wong, who estimates she’s tried more than 100 different kinds of masks and gloves over the course of her nearly 2-decade-long career. “I generally wear an extra-small glove, and I’ve found these gloves to be true to size. They feel lightweight and are very comfortable, even when I’ve worn them for over an hour.”

Providing dexterity and extended-wear comfort, CRITERION Chloroprene Exam Gloves in aqua blue are ambidextrous and offer microtextured fingertips for a secure grip and control.

“The grip is excellent in both wet and dry conditions,” said Wong, who was at first skeptical because the gloves appeared to be somewhat thinner than other comparable gloves. “The grip is an important feature, especially when handling instruments, and I had no slippage. I found the tactile sensations to be highly sensitive. For example, the temperature of whatever item being touched was transmitted quickly. My hands felt wet when the gloves were wet, yet when removing them, they were not wet at all.”

Donning and doffing is simple, owing to an interior polymer coating that makes glove changes easy when hands are wet, damp, or dry. Along with a beaded cuff to help prevent rollback and a 9.5-inch cuff length, the gloves offer a 3.54-mil thickness at the palm.

Jonathan Jones, an RDH in Charlottesville, VA, described the aqua blue CRITERION Chloroprene Exam Gloves as "notably soft against the hands.”

“They stretch similarly to latex gloves, making them very easy to don, even with damp hands from washing or using hand sanitizer,” said Jones, who has been in practice for 29 years. “I experienced no tearing or ripping during donning or at any point during procedures, and donning was equally straightforward, with no residue left on the skin and no adverse reactions.”

“They have a thin, stretchy feeling and I definitely like them,” Wong added. “They feel thinner than other non-latex gloves and are a good powder-free glove that isn’t made with natural rubber latex.” 

Soft, Stretchy, and Secure: CRITERION Fitted Earloop Masks

The CRITERION Fitted Earloop Masks are made of soft, stretchy material and are gentle on the skin, a feature both clinicians found particularly helpful when wearing the masks for long periods of time. Additionally, both clinicians found no odor or shredding with the mask, and neither had any issues with fogging.

“What distinguished this mask, however, was its breathability and the comfort of the material directly against the skin. It had a fabric-like quality that did not cause any irritation," Jones shared.

The single-use masks feature an extra-long aluminum nose piece and a flexible aluminum chin piece, for a comfortable and secure fit while being adaptable to every face shape.

"I very much enjoyed working with this mask," Jones said. "Like other masks that feature dual metal pieces for a customizable fit, it conformed well to my face around both the nose and chin. Even with a secure, well-fitted seal, breathing remained easy, and yet the mask did not feel thin or insufficiently protective.”

Available in ASTM Levels 1 and 3, the 3-ply mask has a fluid-resistant outer layer, an enhanced filtration layer, and a medical-grade tissue inner layer.

“The ear straps have a comfortable elastic loop that stretches to fit wider faces,” Wong said. “I'm pleasantly surprised this mask fits my face better than other nonpetite masks I've tried in the past.”

“Patients had no difficulty hearing or understanding me while I was wearing the mask," Jones explained.

"This is a product I would confidently recommend to colleagues, and it is one I would seek out when our office places its next order," he said.