Italian dental sector faces the challenge of tariffs
In recent months, U.S. trade policy has returned to the spotlight, following former President Donald Trump’s announcement of new tariffs, including on pharmaceuticals and medical devices.
Although these measures have not yet been finalized, concern is growing within Italy’s dental community: exporter companies of equipment and supplies, as well as dental practices and dental laboratories, may face increased costs throughout the supply chain.
✴️ Rising costs and market uncertainty
As reported in a recent article from Odontoiatria33, it is currently difficult to predict the concrete impact of these tariffs, in part because the U.S. regulations target products by origin rather than by company.
A case in point is the Invisalign aligners manufactured in Mexico, which could be subject to tariffs despite the company being American.
This logic, if extended to other devices, would indirectly affect Italian businesses in the dental field.
✴️ A resilient sector, but on alert
Despite uncertainties tied to international trade policy, Italy’s dental sector has shown solid performance in 2024.
This was confirmed by Fabio Velotti, President of UNIDI (National Union of Italian Dental Industries), who provided early positive data ahead of the official market analysis by Key‑Stone.
Growth signals are encouraging, but the potential introduction of new tariffs could undermine this recovery, especially for export‑oriented companies.
✴️ Commitment from Italian and European associations
UNIDI, together with FIDE (The Federation of the European Dental Industry), is closely monitoring developments. Their goal is clear: to prevent dental medical devices from being included in European retaliatory measures and to protect patients’ access to advanced technologies without extra costs.
UNIDI has urged European Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič to exclude dental technologies from potential trade retaliation, in order to safeguard both the competitiveness of industry players and the economic balance of the European healthcare system.
✴️ A heritage to protect
Italian companies are today the second largest producer of dental devices in Europe and have long been recognized internationally for their innovation, quality, and design.
The possible introduction of tariffs would jeopardize not only sector competitiveness, but also the entire supply chain, including technical furniture for dental practices and dental laboratories, which are currently undergoing an evolution combining ergonomics, hygiene, and functionality.
In an increasingly unstable international scenario, it becomes essential to ensure fair trade rules and stability of production for a sector that embodies the excellence of Made in Italy in the dental world.