Claudio Dente is a true veteran in the PPE (personal protective equipment) industry. He shared a bit about his fascinating journey and the company he leads with his wife and co-founder Judy Dente, Dentec Safety Specialists. Dentec and Claudio are members of the AMMA Advisory Board.
Claudio’s journey began right out of college when he started working for Safety Supply Canada, which was the largest safety distributor in the world at the time. Grainger later acquired it. Over his 44-year career, he has seen the industry evolve dramatically. Claudio has been at the forefront of these changes from simple safety gear to advanced, comfortable PPE.
In 2014, Claudio bought a business in Kansas and committed to manufacturing high-quality PPE using American raw materials. Dentec specializes in a wide range of safety products, including safety glasses, face shields, hearing protection, fall protection, and respiratory protection. The emphasis has always been on comfort.
“We started with four people.” We’re a family-owned and operated business with a head office in Newmarket, Ontario, and two manufacturing facilities in Lenexa, Kansas. One facility is dedicated to injection molding, manufacturing, filtration, filling, and cutting. We have a laboratory where we do our quality control and manage NIOSH requirements. In our second location, one we stood up during the COVID-19 pandemic, we package, warehouse, and distribute products from the other facility.
Dentec’s products are used across every industry—from nuclear facilities to automotive manufacturing and even in kitchens with their first aid kits. They aim to ensure workers in all environments can access the best protective gear available.
More and more workplaces require PPE. Dentec supports employers trying to protect workers from hazards, including slips and falls and respiratory, eye, and face protection. There will be continued growth in the PPE sector because yesterday, for example, there was a job where somebody didn’t wear a respirator. Today, that same employee wears a respirator because she could be seriously hurt, killed, or contract an occupational disease.
Claudio added, “That’s the biggest thing. We’ve seen a tremendous movement to improve the quality of PPE, including better design, more comfortable, more robust products, and so forth.”
Looking ahead, Claudio is passionate about driving the healthcare community towards reusable elastomeric half-mask respirators. He believes that with proper support and awareness, these products can become a staple in protecting frontline workers during pandemics and everyday healthcare settings.
Claudio’s dedication to safety and innovation is truly inspiring. His journey in the PPE industry highlights the importance of passion, perseverance, and a commitment to making a difference. Dentec is more than just a company; it’s a beacon of how local manufacturing and innovation can lead to safer, more sustainable solutions.