Oral-B Partners To Make Oral Care More Inclusive

Oral-B Europe is partnering with the International Association of Disability and Oral Health to make oral care more inclusive and accessible for People with Disabilities.
Sep 14, 2022 12:00 PM ET

One in 3 people living with a disability in Europe suffer from gum disease due to struggles with their oral care routine.

That’s why our Oral-B Europe team is leading an effort to make oral care more accessible and positive for all, through a unique partnership called “Positive Practices.”

Benjamin Binot, P&G Europe Oral Care Senior Vice President, said the team is continuously listening to people's experiences with disabilities to understand how we can help them.

“We have learned that oral health care struggles amongst this audience are most common because many haven’t been taught the skills they need to brush their teeth effectively,” Binot said. “They experience a sense of inevitability about their teeth deteriorating and may be especially anxious in the dentist’s chair.”

That led Oral-B to establish a partnership with the International Association of Disability and Oral Health (iADH) as part of the brand’s drive to make oral care more inclusive, accessible and positive for people with disabilities, their caregivers and everyone in between.

The “Positive Practices” training program is designed to train and educate dental practices on how to become more confident and inclusive when it comes to their patients. Read more from Dentistry Magazine UK.

“As a brand, we recognize our responsibility to help ensure that oral care is accessible to all and we are proud to partner with the iADH to work to improve the experience for people living with disabilities,” Benjamin said.

iADH exists to improve desired oral health outcomes for people with disabilities. iADH President Alison Dougall said it felt like a “very natural fit when Oral-B approached to us to come together in partnership.”

“We are delighted to be working alongside Oral-B to address the significant oral health inequalities experienced by people with disabilities in Europe, through innovation, education, research and advocacy,” she said. “By working together, we aim to make a positive difference to the oral care experience for people living with visible and nonvisible disabilities.”

Oral-B and iADH continued their fact finding through a workshop at the 2022 Biennial iADH Congress.

“We want to better understand where Oral-B can help, and we'll be taking this insight to help inform our thinking as the programme develops,” Binot said on LinkedIn. “I'm very excited to be on this journey to ensure that everyone has an equal and positive oral health experience.”

We’re committed to creating a more inclusive world for everyone – both inside and outside the walls of our company, and this includes people with visible and invisible disabilities. Click here to learn about our commitment.