Background
Oral health remains a critical area for advancing personal well-being and mitigating broader health risks linked to poor oral hygiene. Despite advances in oral health products and tools, achieving consistent, effective oral hygiene practices, such as brushing twice daily for two minutes, remains a significant global challenge. Current solutions, like brush timers and user-friendly digital platforms, have demonstrated mild improvements in habit consistency but fall short of delivering the transformational behavioral change needed to establish lasting oral health routines.
To revolutionize oral health on a global scale, innovative solutions rooted in behavioral science are essential. These solutions must go beyond simple habit formation to address the underlying psychology and motivations that drive behavior. By understanding how to influence sustained behavior change and measuring the resulting health outcomes, we can develop strategies that empower individuals worldwide to adopt effective oral care practices. Such advancements have the potential to impact public health profoundly, enabling solutions that can be implemented across varied socioeconomic and cultural contexts.
What we're looking for
We're looking for science-based solutions that encourage consistent and effective oral hygiene practices, such as brushing at least twice a day for a minimum of 2 minutes. These solutions should prioritize behavioral science approaches that drive meaningful, long-term behavior change and demonstrate a clear understanding of the mechanisms behind habit formation.
While digital tools and device innovations are welcome—such as toothbrush enhancements, science-backed apps to encourage adherence, or oral care tools with app integration—the primary focus is on strategies and interventions rooted in behavioral science. This includes foundational research aimed at understanding and proving how behavior change occurs and the measurable outcomes it generates in oral health habits.
Approaches that have the potential to scale globally and provide cost-effective, accessible solutions for diverse populations are especially encouraged.
Solutions of interest include:
- Behavioral science-based interventions/prototypes for habit formation
- Education platforms to improve adherence to oral care routines
Interactive digital tools for improving oral hygiene behaviors - Solutions leveraging clear consumer needs in oral health, such as cosmetic appeal (e.g., tooth whitening)
Our must-have requirements are:
- Addresses oral health improvement through behavioral or technical innovation
- Data/evidence or strong rationale supporting the potential impact on oral health habits or outcomes
- Ability to operate and scale at low cost
Our nice-to-have's are:
- Integration with digital tools or platforms for enhanced user engagement
- Low-cost implementation models to maximize accessibility
- Leverages user data to recommend personalized care routines
- Proven ability to support behaviour change in its users
- Proven ability to improve oral health outcomes
Email Swapneeta Date, CTTC Assistant Director of Life Sciences Collaborations, at Swapneeta.Date@Vanderbilt.edu for more information.