In an exclusive interview with Dentistry, Jo Cooper, general manager for Great Britain and Ireland at Haleon, discusses the company’s mission and its initiatives to support the dental industry in raising awareness of preventative oral care.
What is your mission as UK&I manager for Haleon?
In 2025, Haleon launched its Win as One strategy to reach one billion more consumers by 2030. The mission for our UK&I team is to contribute to this goal by improving access to better everyday health and meeting the diverse needs of more people.
We know that oral health remains a significant challenge in the UK. For example, one in two adults experience bleeding gums, yet many fail to recognise its significance as an early sign of gum disease (One Poll, 2025). Products such as Corsodyl’s wide range of toothpaste and mouthwash products help support consumers with maintaining good gum health.
Our focus is on closing the gap between incidence and action. Many people in the UK are living with preventable conditions and are not managing or treating them effectively. We are committed to raising awareness, educating consumers and empowering them to take proactive steps to address their oral health concerns before they become more serious.
What initiatives have been key to Haleon’s efforts this year?
This year, several initiatives stand out, but I am particularly passionate about our work to improve children’s oral health. It shocks me every time to hear the government statistic that the number one reason for emergency hospital admissions for children is to have their tooth removed due to tooth decay (OHID, 2024).
To address this, one of our oral care brands, Aquafresh, partnered with Tesco Stronger Starts programme. Through this collaboration, we are reaching over 400 schools, providing them with Shine Bright resources. These include lesson plans, activity sheets, infographics, a dedicated song, and a 21-day toothbrush challenge, all designed to fit within the Key Stage 1 curriculum. Our goal is to instil healthy oral habits from an early age, helping children build better long-term oral health.
We also focus on raising awareness of positive oral health habits among adults, and take our role in improving the nation’s oral health very seriously. A key part of this is driving condition awareness. For example, we know that 45% of the adult population in the UK suffers from tooth sensitivity but often dismisses it without treating it. To address this, we partnered with celebrity chef Jamie Oliver on a campaign highlighting tooth sensitivity, sharing real-life experiences and treatment tips to encourage proactive care.
How is Haleon playing its role in tackling the challenges in UK dentistry?
Haleon invests £300 million annually in research and development, with an additional £130 million dedicated to our Global Oral Health Innovation Centre in Weybridge, due to open in 2027. The Centre will be a hub for research and development and product innovation, helping to meet the needs of consumers around the world.
One recent product innovation is Sensodyne Clinical White. Research showed that 86% of people with sensitive teeth wanted whiter teeth, yet 50% experienced sensitive teeth when using whitening products (Ipsos, 2021). We set out to offer consumers a single product that meets both their needs and is a great example of innovation rooted in consumer insight and driven by science.
How is Haleon supporting the UK dental industry?
We take our responsibility to support the dental profession seriously. We know the industry is under significant pressure, with 63% of dental professionals saying they are frequently burnt out and exhausted (Dental Protection, 2025). That’s why we are committed to providing education and resources in ways that genuinely meet their needs.
One key initiative is the Haleon HealthPartner portal. This digital platform gives oral health professionals convenient, on-demand access to clinical information, patient resources, and product education whenever and wherever they need it.
As the NHS 10-Year Health Plan comes into effect, we are also working closely with healthcare professionals and policymakers to ensure that prevention sits at its heart. We aim to support the profession, empower consumers, and contribute to a more sustainable model of dental care in the UK.
About Haleon
Haleon is a leading global consumer healthcare company that specialises in everyday health. We are focused on improving the everyday health of consumers, throughout all stages of their lives. Haleon works to put better everyday health in more hands through our superior brands that are trusted and used by more than one billion consumers and are recommended by health professionals all around the world.
We work together with health professionals and policymakers to improve our mutual understanding of everyday health challenges and meet people’s specific health care needs.
At Haleon, we deliver better everyday health with humanity. For more information visit www.haleon.com.
References
- One Poll research on behalf of Corsodyl, May 2025, 2,000 respondents. Question 15: Have you ever personally experienced bleeding gums?
- Short statistical commentary for hospital tooth extractions in 0 to 19 year olds 2024 – GOV.UK
- 45%: Incidence Data: EMEA/LATAM 11 market average & USA
- Ipsos Sensodyne US Whitening Fast Facts Study, Sept 2021
- https://www.dentalprotection.org/uk/articles/two-thirds-of-dental-professionals-burnt–out-and-exhausted
This article is sponsored by Haleon.
