Interview: Oral health care moves beyond ‘Open wide’

Robin Goodman: What is the story behind the new motto on the booth, “Go Beyond ‘Open Wide’”?
Dr. Veronica Sanchez: When you go to the dentist’s office, what is the first thing the dentist or dental hygienist says after you sit down in the exam chair? “Please open wide.” Thus, because Crest and Oral-B are partners with dental professionals, we want to make certain the care of their patients doesn’t end when they leave the dental office.

Care begins when they ask the patient to open his or her mouth wide, and it continues after the patient returns home and uses the recommended dental products over and over again. You’ll see when you look at our booth, compared to other dental conventions, that we have reshaped our booth in two ways. We changed the visuals that are used and the way that we are communicating and helping dental professionals to take care of their patients, given the different needs they may have.

In “Going Beyond ‘Open Wide,’” I see the company is presenting some very specific options. Would you please tell me about those?
At Procter & Gamble, and especially at Crest and Oral-B, we say the consumer is boss. In our case, our consumers are dental professionals, so we have been in constant dialogue with them about what their patients are asking them for when in the dental office.

We discovered there are six specific answers patients were giving: better care of gingivitis, whitening, a daily cleaning routine, better care of sensitivity, the oral health of their children and oral-health concerns for those who wear braces.

In response to these answers, we designed six different regimens that are tailored to each one of the concerns. In addition, in order to help the dental professional remember these six regimens so they can recommend them to their patients, we came up with archetypes.

For example, did you know that one of every two consumers in the United States faces gingivitis, meaning blood in the sink, when brushing? So this is 50 percent of the population at some point in their lives.

Gingivitis is serious, obviously, because if left untreated, it leads to periodontitis and tooth loss. We represent this pinnacle with Mount Everest, because it is something that can be prevented. We offer the best solution for this situation with our toothpaste, dental floss and toothbrushes because they are tailored to prevent plaque and gingivitis. This at-home solution is called Clinical Gingivitis System.

When we asked consumers how they would like to appear to others, the answer, especially from women, was usually, “I want to look beautiful.” When asked what makes them look beautiful, the reply was, “When I have whiter teeth.” In addition, when we asked dentists, they commented that this is one of the things that they believe their patients are in need of.

Crest and Oral-B have a wonderful regimen for whitening teeth called Crest and Oral-B 3D white. We not only have a paste that specifically whitens teeth, but there is also an electric toothbrush and a dental floss. More importantly, we have what I think is the best invention for everyone to achieve whiter teeth —it’s called the Crest 3D White Whitening Strips.

Today, these strips use our newest technology — called “advanced seal” — that really molds to the teeth. They are easy to use and assists with compliance. When patients use all of these products together, they are going to see whiter teeth in just one day. So this archetype is represented by a couple that is getting married, a day upon which everyone wants to look his and her best. This at-home solution is called System Whitening.

There are other people who don’t presently have any issues with their oral health, but they always want to make certain their mouth is clean and feels fresh to them. This archetype is represented by a man who is jogging. These are the many people who take care of their health by eating right, watching their weight and engaging in daily exercise.

For this group, we offer Crest and Oral-B with Scope, which has a paste, a rinse and an electric toothbrush. Each of these works together, so the user is going to feel his or her mouth is five times more fresh and clean by using these products in unison. This at-home solution is called System Daily Clean.

The other archetype is a group that has tooth sensitivity, and [this complaint] is one that dentists commented was the most often heard among patients. This at-home solution is called System Sensitivity, and it includes a new addition to the electric toothbrush that allows the user three points of control to prevent the application of too much pressure when brushing. The first point of control is a part of Oral-B Professional Care Smart Series toothbrushes, which have three modes of action: oscillating, pulsating and rotating. So when the patient is brushing his or her teeth and is pressing too hard, the pulsating mode stops.

The next point of control is a light in the handle that turns on. These toothbrushes also have a SmartGuide, which is a coach that looks at you from the mirror and tells you how you are doing. When the SmartGuide shows a red unhappy face, the patient knows he or she is brushing too hard. So this is the first toothbrush that is coaching patients with sensitive teeth how to brush.

The next at-home solution is called System Kids and actually features two options, one that is called Oral-B Stages and the other that is Crest Oral-B PRO HEALTH FOR ME. Stages has three sections, for ages 4 to 24 months; for ages 2 to 4 years; and for ages 5 to 7 years. Each section was designed to address children’s dentition, dexterity and development as they grow.

PRO HEALTH FOR ME is the first complete collection of oral-care products specifically designed for 8- to 12-year-old patients. It features cool packaging, but what’s included prevents caries, strengthens enamel and freshens breath. This system encourages children to get in the habit of using the different products, so they can achieve optimum oral health in conjunction with regular visits to their dentist.

The final at-home solution is called System OrthoEssentials, which includes four different products, one of which is the Oral-B Professional Care SmartSeries 5000 electric toothbrush with SmartGuide, plus Oral-B Ortho and Oral-B Power Tip brush heads. This SmartGuide is a bit different, however, in that it tells kids to brush for at least three minutes. We also provide a system that engages the orthodontist, the general practition-er, the child’s parents and, of course, the child as well. The four of them form an agreement to follow certain guidelines so the money the parents are spending on orthodontics doesn’t go to waste.

So the goal of this group of systems is clearly for us to collaborate with the dental professional. After getting the kit from the dentist, the patients can purchase the consumable items they need — floss, toothpaste and mouth wash — by going to their local store in order to help them maintain their regime.

I understand that Crest 3D White Whitestrips now adhere better to teeth? What brought about this change?
When we spoke to consumers, they commented that after the 30 minutes of prescribed time wearing the strips, they would be slipping down a bit. They also didn’t particularly care for the fact that you couldn’t talk while wearing them, as people would notice.

In order to improve upon these hurdles, we contained the gel in a way that is four separate layers. This means the gel is separate from the layer that allows the strip to adhere to the teeth, and it molds perfectly to the mouth now so it doesn’t slip down. You can talk and even drink while wearing the strips now.