Product Evaluation

Dentistry is constantly evolving, with clini­cians embracing innovative products that shape the way care is delivered. Yet in daily practice, it’s often the smallest details that make the biggest difference. For Dr. Robin Henderson, that difference came down to something as simple as improved glove dispensing with Cranberry’s Compac—the latest innovation in glove packaging designed to enhance hygiene and simplify donning.

“I prefer nothing on the counter in my operatories,” Dr. Henderson said. “We have cabinetry where our gloves are dispensed from, but that means someone has to restock glove boxes. If we put a full box of ordinary gloves in the cabinet, you can’t just pull one out, and oftentimes, it tears if you manage to get it out of the box.”

“With Compac,” she continued, “the package sits right in the glove dispenser, and no one has to do anything to make sure they dispense perfectly every time. It’s very surprising the difference these gloves make in my day!”

Compact Packaging

Compac’s space-saving design helps maximize storage, provide convenient chairside portability, in­crease versatility, and reduce environmental impact. According to Cranberry, the polybag takes up half the space of a traditional 100-count glove box, and it is made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE), allowing for thinned-wall packaging that can be recycled for second-life applications.

“This product is so compact—even less than a third of the size of our current boxes,” Dr. Melanie Adelstein said. For Dr. Vladik Crutcher, “The size, packaging, and dispensing is flawless,” and hygienist Stacey Abbatessa commented, “The compact size is also desirable as I do not like clutter on my counter.”

Calling Compac a “space saver,” Daina Coulson, RDH, highlighted how the recyclable packaging contributes to less waste. Similarly, Dr. Daniel Lyu said, “This new packaging allows for a smaller foot­print,” and described the product as “less wasteful.” Hygienist Chanda Tangabetani also appreciated that it is “environmentally friendly.”

Single-Glove Dispensing

Compac offers enhanced hygiene and safety while reducing cross-contamination risk with its By The Cuff dispensing system. The fully automated interleave system ensures the gloves are untouched until use, isolating the user’s initial contact to just the cuff vs contacting the palm and fingers. It also releases one glove at a time to alleviate waste and enable faster, safer donning.

“I thoroughly enjoyed the ease of retrieving the gloves,” Dr. Darrick Castleberry said. “All gloves should have the cuff-first retrieval.” Kami Barr, RDH, liked the dispensing with “less chance of cross-con­tamination,” and she explained, “The gloves weren’t falling all over, and it definitely cut down on waste.”

When asked what she liked best, Coul­son specifically noted “cuff dispensing and getting one glove at a time,” and Dr. Marko Farion affirmed, “This product had the gloves folded neatly and dispensed each glove one at a time.” Dr. Dmitry Yarovitsky also mentioned how with Compac, “single gloves do not drag others with them.”

“The gloves were placed in the similar way tissues are placed, where you grab one and then the next is ready to dis­pense but does not come out with it,” Dr. Adelstein said. However, she said, “Near the end of the bag, I had to hold the pack­aging down with my other hand to only dispense one glove at a time.”

One evaluator recalled, “I had to unglove to write something, and I could quickly get a new glove effortlessly,” while a pediatric dentist addressed how retriev­ing “one glove at a time reduces waste in a big way and reduces the time it takes to get a glove.”

Glove Quality and Durability

Compac’s nitrile, powder-free gloves feature a 2.2- to 2.5-mil thickness, textured fingertips, and a black color. They are avail­able in 5 sizes—XS, S, M, L, and XL—with 100 gloves per polybag.

“The quality of the gloves are great,” Abbatessa said, and Dr. Kelly Betts praised the gloves for their “great quality, tactile sensitivity, and grip.” She also pointed out their “overall feel and comfort.”

For Dr. Henderson, “They felt so good to put on that I was almost sad when I had to take them off each time! They feel amazing during the entire appointment.” Dr. Adelstein agreed, “I love this product and appreciated how the gloves felt.”

Overall Satisfaction

“Gloves are typically jam-packed into a box, and at times, one might pull a handful of gloves instead of just one,” Dr. Farion said. “This product seemed to solve this problem.”

“These gloves feel noticeably amazing to work in, and it has been well over a decade since I have experienced such high-quality gloves,” Dr. Henderson said, adding that her team also loved the gloves and that she has already ordered more for her dental practice.

Dr. Yarovitsky said, “This product allows a seamless experience of dispensing gloves,” and Dr. Castleberry concluded, “I strongly recommend these gloves. The delivery is unmatched. Clinicians will enjoy using them.”