Vanguard Awards: Dental Care

Dinovite, Oxyfresh and Pet King Brands (PKB)are driving growth in the dental care category because they have earned pet owners’ trust and consistently deliver results while keeping pets’ safety at the heart of what they do. 

“One of the biggest challenges and something we are especially proud of was entering an already saturated pet dental category and carving out a distinct, credible point of view,” said Kristi Robinson, Brand Manager for Compana Pet Brands. “Historically, dental in pet has been treated as more of an ‘indulgent treat’, something pet parents feel good about giving, but not necessarily something they rely on as a daily health solution. We saw an opportunity to reframe that. Instead of competing as just another breath freshening chew, we positioned dental as a daily health solution, grounded in both mechanical action and proven, functional ingredients that support whole-mouth health. That required more than just launching a product. It meant: rethinking how we communicate dental care to pet parents, educating on why consistency matters, not just occasional use and building trust in efficacy in a space that can feel commoditized. In the past year, we’ve successfully introduced that disruption—bringing a more health-first, routine-driven approach into the category—while still delivering on what pet parents expect in terms of palatability and ease of use.”

One of the biggest opportunities PKB took on in the past year was navigating supply chain shifts while supporting growing demand. “We never compromise on our standards, which has led to strengthening our partnerships and increasing our agility to deliver quality products,” mentioned Marketing Manager, Molly Crum.

Oxyfresh has expertly turned complexity into momentum. “Like many growing brands, we faced rising costs, shifting consumer behavior, supply chain pressures, and the need to evolve how we operate, all at the same time,” President Melissa Gulbranson elaborated. “What I’m most proud of is that we didn’t retreat. We leaned in. We strengthened our team, improved operational discipline, embraced smarter technology and stayed focused on serving our loyal customers and partners. The result? We continued growing … 20 percent last year and positioned the business for an even stronger future. Challenges will always exist. The real differentiator is whether you use them as excuses or fuel. We chose fuel.”

“What makes Dinovite stand out is that our leadership is rooted in purpose-led innovation, not trend-chasing,” Robinson said. “The brand was built on the belief that while foundational diets play an important role, there can still be gaps that impact a pet’s overall well-being. These gaps leave pet parents managing symptoms instead of addressing root causes. Dinovite was created to help fill those gaps and support whole-body health at the source, a philosophy that continues to guide us today. Where we lead is in three key ways: Root-cause approach to health: We focus on whole-body health and how systems are connected, whether that’s gut health, skin, or even dental. Simplicity and accessibility: We believe effective pet health solutions shouldn’t be complicated. Our goal is to make daily wellness easy for pet parents to adopt and stick with. Proven, trust-driven innovation: Everything we bring to market has to deliver real, visible results. That’s how we’ve built loyalty over time and supported over a million pets. Since joining the Compana portfolio, we’ve scaled that philosophy, bringing more structure, more innovation, and broader access—while staying true to what made the brand resonate in the first place: honesty, efficacy, and results pet parents can actually see.”

PKB stands out for keeping pets’ safety and wellbeing at the forefront. 

“What sets PKB apart as a leader in the industry is our commitment to purpose-driven innovation,” Crum stated. “Every product we develop is rooted in the mission to improve animal health while doing no harm—that means no harsh chemicals or unnecessary additives. Combining that philosophy with decades of category expertise has allowed us to practice innovation while setting standards for at-home pet health care.”

Oxyfresh’s Gulbranson said: We think like creators and builders. I believe leadership today requires more than shelf space or size. It requires relevance. That means innovating quickly, listening to consumers, supporting retailers, and staying willing to evolve. I also believe culture matters. We’ve built a team that cares deeply, moves fast, and wants to build the right way.”