1
Overview
A Revolution of the Current Dental Care System
By Carl Anderson, Sean Bender, Edward Dan, Nate Nicolato, Yin Wang, & Brian Werneke
Problem: People lack the means and motivation to get dental care. People do not have the
knowledge to provide themselves with basic dental care. Do people even need to go to the dentist to
get basic care?
Therefore the problem with the dental care system as a whole, is that it does not present enough
opportunities for low income people to get access to dental care mainly it is based to strongly upon
profit, as are many things in our society, and not upon actual needs. It does not educate low income
people on how important it is for them to maintain at least basic preventative dental care.
Our Vision: Our Vision is to then rebuild the system so that low income people are given an
awareness of basic dental care and then an alternative opportunity to seek this care with easy
accessibility, which means that it must be easily affordable and located so that it is easily obtained
without hassle. This solution is in addition to normal care so as not to collapse the current system, but
also provide additional care for those who normally avoid the dentist anyway. Its negative social
impacts are going to be minimal in comparison to its benefits to society. In this manner people of all
classes, and especially low income people, will be able to take care of their teeth and thereby improve
the overall health of the population.
Concept of Solution: When trying to find a comprehensive solution to this situation the first
question we asked was why do people need to go to the dentist? How else can care be brought to the
people, and also make it more easily accessible and affordable? Why couldn’t there be a machine to
help provide basic dental care for those who couldn’t get it otherwise? The machine could simply scan
people’s teeth and then provide basic preventative care such as cleaning and fluoridation. The
necessary technology already exists to make this machine possible. In coming up with a feasible
solution we tried to keep conflicts of interest in mind, and also be accommodating to those needs as
well if at all possible. That is why our idea in all its aspects tries to minimize negative social impacts
and still produce the greatest possible benefit to society. The overall goal behind this concept is
improving our society.
Conclusion: Our solution and vision are what we felt would be the best possible solution to
improve dental care for low income people. The ideas built upon each other and slowly have grown
into what we have presented as one foundation. The solution has minimal negative repercussions on
society, but offers enormous benefits for everyone. It provides cost effective, accessible dental care for
anyone that chooses to use it. As a non profit corporation we can ensure that these ideals are
maintained. This could be the future of dental care.
2
A Revolution of the Current Dental Care System
By Carl Anderson, Sean Bender, Edward Dan, Nate Nicolato, Yin Wang, & Brian Werneke
Problem Statement:
The Current Dental Care system in America is one of non-equality injustice. It makes many
assumptions about the ability of people to receive dental care and their means of paying for these
costly procedures. The Average cost of a preventative dental cleaning in America is $98 for children
and $78 for adults.1 This only takes into account 1 visit, which in truth is not enough, as it is also
assumed that everyone will go to the dentist two times every year, creating costs of $186 per year for
children and $156 per year for adults. However with 35.9 million Americans living below the poverty
line it is hard to picture these lower income people spending a good percentage of their money on this
“non-necessity” of dental care. In 2003 the poverty line was “about $12,000 for a two-person
household and $19,000 for a four-person household.”2 Using the numbers above it would cost these
families approximately $312 and $708 respectively. In total this would account for at least 2.5% and
3.7% of the total household incomes, respectively. Thus without the knowledge that "Oral health is
integral to overall health; simply put, that means you cannot be healthy without oral health,"3 people
will not realize that Preventative dental care is a necessity. Surgeon General David Satcher, MD, PhD
went on to say that “A major barrier to good oral health is the overall lack of public understanding and
awareness of the importance of oral health.” The barriers of financial cost and lack of understanding
result in only 55% of adults seeking dental care each year. This is worsened by the fact that about 185
million people in America do not have dental insurance, which is about 66% of the population.4 Even
those who do have some form of dental insurance are often times refused by dentists because the
insurance is unreliable and doesn’t get them their full share, an example of this being Medicare. Lastly
45% of all Americans, not just those who lack dental insurance believes that without insurance dental
procedures are too expensive, sometimes even more expensive than they are worth. However in the
case of preventive treatments, such as sealants, the costs are not too great and they are worth it.5 All of
these combine in a serious problem in social separation, because the lower income people do not have
the money for dental care or the money for schooling. Therefore they will never get the knowledge to
realize they need dental care and due to this lack of schooling will not get jobs with enough financial
benefits to pay for dental care. Thus learned people of money and higher class have the knowledge
and money for good dental care; whereas lower income people do not have the money for this
knowledge or for dental care.
Though it might be assumed that everyone who can go to the dentist will go to the dentist, this
is untrue. Only 62.5% of people with dental insurance over the age of two visited the dentist in the
year 2000.6 This is a startling number, because it shows that even if people have the means of
preventative dental care, they may not necessarily have the motivation to take advantage of it. Lack of
1
2
http://www.salaryexpert.com
EBSCO HOST: The Changing face of poverty. By Samuelson Robert J., Newsweek 10/18/2004 Vol. 144 Issue
16 p. 50
3
EBSCO HOST: REPORT SHOWS DISPARITIES IN ACCESS TO ORAL HEALTH CARE , Nation's Health,
00280496, Jul2000, Vol. 30, Issue 6 quote from Surgeon General David Satcher, MD, PhD
4
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=3272052&dopt=Citation
5
“Dental Plans-Ranked by Enrollment-Directory-Statistical Data Included” from the Los Angles Business Journal
May 14, 2001 by Natasha Prishva
6
www.medhealthplus.com
3
motivation creates another hole in the current dental system, because people do not realize how
important dental care is and therefore may not seek it even if they have the ability too.
Other than the reasons stated above, why might people not seek dental care, even if they have
the ability to do so? To find the answer to this a survey of 48 people of which, 42 were between 16
and 25 years of age; 3 were under 16 years of age, and 3 were over 25 years of age. This survey
resulted in the information below.
People who dislike the Dentist
General
Male
Female
Neutrals
17
14
3
50%
48%
53%
% of neutral people
35%
45%
18%
% of people who dislike the Dentist
General
Male
Female
People who like the Dentist
24
15
9
7
2
5
% of people who like the
Dentist
15%
7%
29%
After interviewing 48 people, these statistics were acquired. As for the general
population, 50% of the people dislike the dentist, 35% once disliked the dentist but no longer mind
him/her, and 15% like their dentist. Of the males, 48% dislike the dentist, 45% are neutral, 7% like the
dentist. Of the females, 53% dislike the dentist, 18% are neutral, and 29% like their dentist. These
results show an unnecessarily large number of people dislike the dentist.
Some reasons why people disliked dentists consisted of “white-coat syndrome,” drilling tools
or cleaning tools that cause pain, and that the dentists charge too much for little problems. Another
study showed that 21.4% of people avoid the dentist due to fear. This accounts for about half of the
percentage of people in our survey who dislike the dentist. A fear of the dentist is not only a problem
for the one with the fear, because they may avoid the dentist and thus have more dental problems, but
also for the children of these individuals. It was found that if someone has a fear of the dentist is
passed on to their children that fear will be so great they may actually go so far as to refuse free dental
care.7 Perhaps this is one of the reasons why 37.5% of those with dental insurance did not visit the
dentist in the past year.
The survey that was conducted also found that a large portion of the neutral people believed
that the dentist was unnecessary. This exposes another assumption of the current dental system, which
is that a dentist is necessary to improve oral health. However “no one can support that going to the
dentist will actually improve your dental health.”8 Though this same study says preventative dental
care of some kind is important, it specifies that there is no proof that the dentist is the correct type of
preventative care. Whether it is brushing, flossing, mouthwash, dentist visits, or a combination of the
4, no one can be certain, but it is true that some type of dental care must be sought.
Even though there is plenty of research to say that dental hygiene is important and has an
impact on a person’s overall health, there are still many problems. Still today the most chronic
childhood disease is tooth carie, or tooth decay which occurs 5x more than asthma and 7x more than
hay-fever.9 In addition 74% of Americans or 207.2 million people have some type of gum disease.10
This begs the question; does everyone know that they need dental care? Currently it is assumed that
everyone in America knows they need dental care and therefore will seek it. However with these
7
www.blackwell-synergy.can-doi-full-10.1111-j.1365-263x.2004.00517.x
www.blackwell-synergy.can-doi-full-10.1111-j.1365-263x.2004.00517.x
9
www.medhealthplus.com
10
http://www.dentalgentlecare.com/fun_dental_facts.htm
8
4
percentages of mouth born diseases, it does not seem that this is actually true. In fact only 95% of
women, and 88% of men care about their oral hygiene. Out of all the people studied 83% still had oral
problems and over 56% were missing 5 or more teeth. 11 This leads to two logical solutions; either
people think they care about their dental health, but in reality do not, or people are not receiving the
dental care that they deserve via dentist visits and other preventative care. With these startling facts, it
is evident that many people do not realize how important dental care is and that even if it is important,
they may not have the expertise to put sufficient care into their teeth.
The above are all assumptions of the current dental system that by using the facts stated are not
actually true. Thus by using a worst case scenario (assume the worst), we can improve the best case,
as well as the worst. For example, out group said that all low income people need improvement for
their dental care and have bad teeth. Though there may be outliers to this assumption, there will be no
person that our solution does not help, as anyone who does not need an improvement in dental care, is
not part of our problem in the first place. However by giving good dental care to those with absolutely
no dental care, no money and no housing, this same care can be provided to those who do have a little
money or do already receive poor dental care. Thus by starting at the bottom of our culture we can
ultimately help all of society right up through the top of the pyramid of social class. People without
homes seem to be a good base to work with, as without a home they are most likely to have little if any
money and therefore no way of receiving any dental care, except possibly at free health clinics.
Actually only 26.7% of all homeless people seek dental care in a one year period. Also 27% have
reported having a toothache in the past month, but only a tenth of these individuals have looked for
help for a dentist. Homeless people also have grossly decayed teeth that are much worse than the
average person.12 This means that if we can provide free dental care for lower-income people, these
individuals will have improved dental hygiene, so long as they used this free dental care.
It was also our opinion that people lack the means and motivation for dental care. If people do
not have the means of getting dental care, it does not matter how motivated they are, because it is
inaccessible to them. The reverse of this is that even if people have the means of getting dental care,
they must be motivated in some way to receive this care; means without motivation is nothing. The
reasons that dental care is bad in rural location include “socioeconomic disparity, lack of
transportation, high dentist to patient ratio, and non-fluorinated water.”13 This shows that even when a
means of dental care is accessible it is typically bad care that is usually not in an easy to arrive at
location. With all of these preventions a means of dental care is hard to acquire.
One of the most frequent concerns of homeless people in Atlanta is actually dental care.14 This
is a great study to look at, because it shows that homeless people are motivated to receive dental care,
since they do care about it. Now that we know that lower income people are motivated to use dental
care, it can be said that if a means of dental care was derived, these people could have access to the
care they deserve and need.
Fossilized cavemen found in England were studied so to learn of their dental characteristics. It
was found that only 8% of these cavemen had cavities, a truly low number indeed since there were no
dentists when those people were alive. Today things are much different, as 48% of the people living in
that same area today have cavities.15 For whatever reasons, even with the advancements of technology
and culture there has still been a 40% increase in occurrence of cavities. This shows that everyone
does need to keep their teeth healthy, and that it is possible to do this. Perhaps it is our diet, pollution,
11
www.baywood.metapress.com
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=3272052&dopt=Citation
13
www.blackwell-synergy.can-doi-full-10.1111-j.1365-263x.2004.00517.x7
14
http://www.atlcf.org/Webdata/Documents/46/Homeless%20Health%20Full%20Report.pdf
15
www.howstuffworks.com
12
5
or maybe even some other reason, but the oral health of our society has been declining and it is time to
fix this problem once and for all. Our teeth impact our lives on a daily level and therefore should be
treated with great care. Perhaps good dental care involves going to the dentist once a month, or not
going at all, but the fact remains that everyone needs some type of dental care, that improves the
overall health of the mouth and therefore the overall health of the person.
The current dental industry is established around the middle class and upper class. Despite this
the fact remains that everyone, including lower class people need some form of dental care.
Unfortunately, here are multiple social complications that must be considered before any corrections
can be made. For example dentists probably profit most by catering to the upper classes. Are there any
reasons as to why the lower classes have not demanded care before now? If they did demand care a)
how could they do it successfully, and b) how would this affect the balance of the current system, i.e.
would middle class people resist this change if they were worried about their own quality of care. In
other words what are the social impacts of providing equal care to everyone? Furthermore, is this
possible or profitable in a capitalist economy? If you break down the barriers would you break down
the system. Every action has a reaction. Some one would have to pay for the change, so how much
would it cost and who would pay? These are other questions that must be discussed in our solution to
the problem of improving the current dental industry.
The Problem - Summary: Therefore the problem with the dental care system, as a whole, is
that it does not present enough opportunities for low income people to get access to dental care.
Mainly because it is based to strongly upon profit, as are many things in our society, and not upon
actual needs. The dental system does not educate low income people on how important it is for them
to maintain at least basic preventative dental care.
Vision Statement:
Our Vision is to then rebuild the system so that low income people are given an awareness of
basic dental care and then an alternative opportunity to seek this care with easy accessibility, which
means that it must be easily affordable and located so that it is easily obtained without hassle. This
solution is in addition to normal care so as not to collapse the current system, but also provide
additional care for those who normally avoid the dentist anyway. Its negative social impacts are going
to be minimal in comparison to its benefits to society. In this manner people of all classes, and
especially low income people, will be able to take care of their teeth and thereby improve the overall
health of the population.
Concepts of solution:
Where did this idea come from?... When trying to find a comprehensive solution to this
situation the first question we asked was why do people need to go to the dentist? How else can care be
brought to the people, and also make it more easily accessible and affordable? My first idea came from
the increased presence and subsequent success of AED’s, automated external defibrillators, in recent
years.16 As our society has become more conscious of the public’s health things such as public use
blood pressure monitors have also appeared. Why couldn’t there be a machine to help provide basic
dental care for those who couldn’t get it otherwise? The machine could simply scan people’s teeth and
then provide basic preventative care such as cleaning and fluoridation. The necessary technology
already exists to make this machine possible.
16
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=1616262
0&query_hl=3
6
Feasibility:
As mentioned the technical feasibility of this solution is already possible. It relies on several
main components. By doing a patent search we found each part of this assembly, making our solution
simply a combination of these already developed ideas that have been made and patented. It is our
objective from there to make sure that the assembly of the machine is easy to build, maintain, and
especially, easy to use.
Patents Found;
Patent # 6,702,999
-Chemical Compound
Patent # 6,582,225
-Dental Scanner
Patent # 6,607,387
-Dental Scanner
Patent # 6,685,474
-Aqueous Slurries
Patent # 6,152,733
-Hands-Free Oral cleaning device
Patent # 6,685,921
-Dental Care Composition
However, there are also social feasibility aspects that need to be dealt with in great detail. This
is because there are many problems and conflicts of interests that must be addressed before this can be
considered a good solution.
As described in the problem, there are many reputable studies, such as those from the WHO,
that stress the important influence of oral health on overall health.17 Unfortunately, the simple
preventative care that is necessary to maintain oral health is currently unavailable to many groups of
low income people internationally. This problem is attributed to financial costs, lack of access,
perceptions of need, and dental anxiety states.18 The financial deterrents are enormous and a
particularly discouraging problem for those that can’t afford it. The cost to treat cavities for about 1000
children in the US is approximately $3513. This alone exceeds the “total health budget for children of
most low income countries.”19 “Oral disease is the fourth most expensive ailment to treat in most
industrialized countries.”20 Coupled with the facts that nearly 35 million Americans as of 2002 “face
material deprivation”21 and 185 million people do not have dental care insurance,22 it becomes obvious
that there is not enough dental care for low income people. These people are making less than 300
dollars a week, 23 which must pay for all of their bills and basic needs, and a trip to the dentist just for a
basic cleaning on average costs $65. 24 In Mexico, where the majority of citizens have a lower income,
nearly 90% of the population lives with untreated cavities.25 As afore mentioned, this is a problem that
can be and ought to be fixed.
Social Impacts of a Solution:
Before even coming up with a solution to this problem it is important to evaluate the possible
outcomes. There are many hypothetical reactions, those beneficial and negative, which must at least be
mentioned. Some consequences of providing dental care for the poor could severely detract from the
business of dentists. If the solution is a better, easier way to take care of your teeth then chances are
17
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/full/10.1046/j..2003.com122.x
http://www.nature.com/cgi-taf/DynaPage.taf?file=/bdj/journal/v187/n3/full/4800224a.html&filetype=pdf
19
http://www.scielosp.org/pdf/bwho/v83n9/v83n9a04.pdf
20
http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/83/9/infocus0905/en/
21
http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1001&context=books
22
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=3272052&dopt=Citation
23
http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1001&context=books
24
http://www.bracesinfo.com/dentalcosts/
25
http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/83/9/infocus0905/en/
18
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that it will be also utilized by other classes of society as well, also reducing dentists’ business. A limit
to the maximum of services that the machine could provide would also make the machine itself more
realistic, but also insure that dentists would have some business for more advanced care such as fillings
and root canals. Also, because people would still need to go to the dentists, the machine could
recommend a dentist for further care, thereby returning some of the business lost.
Another possible complication is the response of the middle and upper classes to improving the
dental care specifically for low income people. Some might feel that the quality of their own care is
being compromised. By providing an alternate source of dental care for low income people outside of
the dentist’s office, I believe this problem is avoided. Plus, the benefits of this machine are available to
everyone. Anyone can use it to identify whether or not they actually have a problem before going to
the dentist, therefore, saving time and money. Hence, because everyone can use this machine other
classes ought to be less resistant to the implementation of this system.
Finally, statistically it has been shown that the upper class and middle class profit from low
income peoples’ contributions to social security. For some they only see 88 cents for every dollar that
they contribute to social security. This could cost them up to $160,000 out of their lifetime income. 8
An unfortunate but valid concern is that by improving the health of low income people the amount of
social security that would have gone to upper and middle classes will be decreased by the increased
life span of low income people. This could potentially collapse the entire social security system if it
could not keep up with demand. However, bear in mind the machine is not a cure all. Professional
dental care is still required to fix more complicated dental problems. Basic preventative care, while it
would definitely improve daily living for low income people, probably wouldn’t extend their lifetime
by a significant amount. This means that the impact on social security would be minimal. On the other
hand, research shows that poor dental health can lead to not only worse oral health problems but even
major infections, diseases, and cardiovascular disease. 26, 27 By preventing these problems, you prevent
the need for expensive treatments which subsequently saves the entire medical system money, which
benefits everyone and even reduces the need for social security. Personally, I feel that the benefits for
society outweigh the negative impacts, but when coming up with a feasible solution it is important to
keep conflicts of interest in mind, and also be accommodating to those needs as well if at all possible.
That is why our idea in all its aspects tries to minimalize negative social impacts and still produce the
greatest possible benefit to society.
Of course, one problem would be getting peoples’ interest in using this machine, and
encouraging them to use it. By placing the machine in areas where many low-income and average
people already go it would perhaps peak their curiosity. Schools, pharmacies, and perhaps food
kitchens would be ideal locations. The machines must be located in accessible but not too public
locations so that they would also maintain the appearance of being reliable, and trustworthy of being
safe and sanitary. Placing the machines in the dentist’s offices themselves would have this effect as
well as bring business through their doors.
Another way to bring dentists business, or in other words another way to encourage people to
go to the dentist, would be to set up a monthly lottery. For example, in return for being recommended
by the machine for further care, dentists would probably be willing to pay a small monthly fee. This
money is then pooled into a lottery, where the recommended dentists can give out lottery tickets to
their patients. This gives people incentive to go to the dentist, and then returns the dentists’
contribution by bringing them business.
26
http://www.earthtym.net/ref-dent-clean.htm
http://www.bracesinfo.com/cardiovascular.htm
27
8
Another part of this vision is creating these concepts solely for the interest of society, which
implies that our idea should be a part of a non profit organization. A percentage of the money collected
for the lottery could be used for funding. The organization could also collect charitable grants and
donations from the government and other corporations for funding as well. Plus, by gaining the support
of well known companies, many more people would probably learn about the machine and dental care
in general. Educating the public is an important part of the solution for improving dental care. The
contributing businesses, such as soda corporations and fast food companies would have much to gain
as well. Their public images would be improved by supporting improving dental care because typically
their products are considered bad for teeth and general health. For example, if McDonald’s were to be
swayed to implement this machine in their restaurants and run a dental campaign, by say giving
toothbrushes for toys, not only would people have wide access to basic preventative care but they
would also become educated about it and encouraged to use it. Fifty million people throughout 119
countries go to McDonald’s daily.11 It is more than likely that this is a significantly larger number of
people than the number of people treated by dentists on a daily basis. Such a program would as
mentioned also make McDonald’s look like a company concerned about its customers, which is always
good for business.
However, there is a major assumption that is made here. In being a nonprofit organization we
would have to assume that socially, people would be sympathetic to our cause and be willing to give
donations. The same goes for assuming the dentists will pay for the lottery, because the return rate that
they would see probably isn’t too high. The overall goal behind this concept, however, is improving
our society, and this is something that I think most people will understand.
The Design of our Solution
The ADOS machine works by applying known techniques of other machines to unusual
applications. First, there is the way ADOS checks to see what problems your teeth have. The state of
your teeth’s health is directly related to the amount of plaque that has collected around your gum-line.
Thus the more tarter and plaque that builds at the gum-line, the more at risk a person is for gingivitis
and/or cavities. The way ADOS detects this relationship is by figuring the ratio of visible teeth
surfaces to visible plaque. In order to do this the plaque must first be colored, so the person will be
given a disclosing tablet to color the tarter and plaque. After this, the patient will put the ADOS
mouthpiece scanner in their mouth. The scanner is able to pick up the ratio of white teeth to colored
plaque by using a light- scanning system similar to the kind found in color copiers. Then the ratio is
computed by ADOS and the recommended treatment is told to the patient.
Next, there is the manner of how ADOS cleans a person’s teeth. The cleaning fluid it uses is a
nontoxic solution that breaks down plaque and tarter. Using a small pump, ADOS shoots this solution
at a relatively high, pressurized velocity, and then sucks it out with another tiny pump. The solution is
stored in refillable containers on ADOS that are refilled once they become too low. Then, after that the
patient is given the option to take a Fluorade tablet that allows them to practice some preventative care
on their own.
The ADOS Model
The model is the representation of what ADOS is supposed to be. It portrays every single
ability and feature this machine should have. This final model has been altered from its original
model’s appearance for a few key reasons. The overall shape was changed to a cube for the purpose of
saving space. The previous trapezoidal shape took up too much room and the extra space it had was
not really needed. Also, the button panel has been simplified to an extreme degree, thus it would be
very simple for someone to use. Consideration has also been taken with respect to the storage and
sanitation of the ADOS scanning mouthpiece. This model has a small holding bin for the mouthpiece
9
when it is not used, and there are small, disposable plastic covers that are placed on the mouthpiece
during use. Then the plastic cover is thrown away, the next person then puts on another cover and uses
the machine. Also, the fluid disposing tanks are stored inside the machine itself.
Instructions
1. Take a mouthpiece and slide on plastic slipcover then put the mouthpiece in your mouth.
2. The machine will prompt for various information (age, weight and some multiple choice
questions) that will allow it to create a profile of you so that it can give you useful information.
3. Now press start to begin the machine’s scanning cycle.
4. Wait for the machine to finish its scan, and then read its response on your mouth’s dental
situation. Then it will prompt you if you desire a cleaning of your teeth, respond however you
wish.
5. If you choose to clean, the machine will then clean your teeth down with cleaning solution.
6. Then take the mouthpiece out of your mouth, and take the plastic slipcover off of the
mouthpiece to throw out.
7. Put the mouthpiece back on the holder and you are done with the cleaning.
In the design of this machine, we had to emphasis the fact that it is easy to use. Ease of use will
be a key factor in this machines success rate, as anyone needs to be able to have the knowledge to
operate it. By creating an easy to use interface, the product can be seen as an accepting machine that
cleans your teeth without hassle or much thought. A simple instruction sheet with symbols and
pictures will be mounted on or near the machine to make the use of this machine as easy as possible.
Financing the Product and Company
As a startup company our initial investment in this project will be quite substantial. Research
space must be secured and research equipment must be purchased or leased. This research equipment
must focus on the chemical components in our cleaning solutions and how they react together. In
addition many sensors must be developed that would fit into the mouthpiece we have designed. This
process can begin once a source of funding has been found since money out of pocket is not an option.
The National Institute of health gave an average of $400,631 to each group that was sponsored. This
same year 30% of the total amount of grants were accepted and given funding. Therefore this could be
10
a possible source of research funding, but may not be the most reliable. The grant that we would apply
for would be a Public Health Service Grant from the US Department of Health and Human Services.28
The government also offers Federal grants for research, but most are offered in specific
categories of research. In 2004 a Federal Grant was posted for research in “Manufacturing processes
of Medical, Dental and Biological technologies.” Being that one are we need specific research in is the
manufacturing and design of our newly acquired dental technologies, this may also be a grant that we
should be willing to pursue. Due to the fact that the grant application is not due until 2008, the
application has yet to be posted on the Federal Grant website. So though this not may be an immediate
source of income, it could be a source on funding in the future. 29
These are only a few of the grant opportunities that our company must pursue if we are going to
becoming successful. As is often quoted, “It takes money to make money,” and therefore we must
procure these initial funds to begin our business.
Non-Profit
While our business is growing it will be difficult to make sure that our profit is equal to or
exceeds our spending. This is why another valid option for our company may be to not be a company
at all, but rather a non-profit organization. Becoming a non-profit organization is not a terribly
difficult process and can become very helpful. The benefit of being a non-profit organization is that it
would make us tax exempt from both federal taxes as well as sales tax on purchases. The total cost of
becoming a non-profit organization in New York State would be 600 dollars, but would be a rather
simple process of application.
To begin this process, an article of incorporation much be filed in NY state, which involves
form DOS-1511. The fee associated with this form is $75. Following this the Federal employer
identification form must be filed so that the IRS has the ability to track your organization, there is no
fee associated with this form. A federal tax exemption forum under Section 501 also is necessary to be
considered actually tax exempt. This form has a slight variation in fees as it depends on the assets of
the organization. Assuming we will have asset greater than $10,000, the fee would be $500. Finally
two more forms must be filed in New York State, the NYS tax exempt certification and the NYS
charities registration. Once these forms are completed and passed through the system, our organization
will be non-profit and thus tax exempt.30
Means and Motivation – The lottery
The fact does remain will this organization be able to complete its research make products and
still come out with no net loss? The cost of this machine will have a huge impact on this, as the
cheaper it is, the more machines we are able to sell, with as little profit as possible. For a comparison a
new ATM machine costs between $7,000 and $50,000.31 Since this machine would use much the same
technology a price somewhere in the middle to lower price range will hopefully be applicable. If the
product can be made for about $15,000, they can be sold for $17,000, creating a profit of $2,000 for
each machine. Hopefully this profit will be enough to cover the cost of not only the manufacturing,
but also the route drivers who will be servicing the machines. Assuming each route driver could work
on 8 machines and be in charge of those machines, about 4,000 total route drivers would be needed to
have enough machines for the entire United States. If each driver was paid an average salary of
$37,056 including benefits and bonuses, a total of 150.63 million dollars would be needed as salary
each year. However this is a future assessment, and in the first several years of this company, this
number of employees will not be needed. In fact very few employees will be needed until this
28
www.grants1.nih.gov/grants
www.fedgrants.gov
30
www.nysccc.org
31
http://www.cbanet.org/Products/ATM2PG.htm
29
11
technology begins to take hold. Until this time, our organization only has to worry about making and
selling our machines to stay on top of our losses.
Though this organization should be rather stable, to further increase our chances for survival, a
new system will be introduced with this machine. Every machine that is put out into the market will be
tied to a network of local dentists. If a person is in need of additional dental care, it will recommend a
local dentist. However rather than letting any dentist be on this system, only dentist who have paid the
monthly fee will appear. Every month $5 will be collected from each dentist in the system and put
towards a general lottery. Then every person who not only uses the machine, but follows through with
its advice and actually goes to one of the suggested dentists, will be entered into this lottery. Thus the
machine will give everyone a means to clean their teeth, and the lottery will give people a motivation
to clean their teeth and follow-up with a dentist visit. Once this machine truly takes hold it would be a
very large lottery that will create great motivation for people to clean their teeth and try to win the
money.
Advertising
Another key aspect to this product will be advertising, as never before as dental care truly been
very well advertised. The purpose of this advertising will be to not only let people know that this
product exists and is accessible to them, but also that it is necessary. Television Commercials,
billboards and other ads will emphasis the importance of dental care. In addition this product has to be
aimed partially at children to try and make dental care fun. No more scary trips to the dentist, because
now a simple and fun machine can clean your teeth quickly and easily. Thus the advertising of this
product will be the key factor in how successful this product becomes.
One of the possible ideas for a promotion that has been discussed is to create a promotion with
another company that is already very good at advertising. In fact since another criterion of our
advertising is appealing to children, a copy that appeals to children would also be beneficial.
McDonalds was cited as the 19th best advertiser by the Competitive Media Reporting and Publishers
Information Bureau.32 Also as is seen in McDonalds Happy Meals and the Ronald McDonalds houses
which aim to help children, McDonalds also tries to appeal to children. In fact recently they started
World Children’s Day in which they raise money for children in need of medical care, but do not have
the money to get it. Thus “McDonald's in the community means local development, support for youth
sports and other community programs, help in times of need. Through our support for Ronald
McDonald House Charities, we help improve the health and well-being of children and families around
the world.”33 Therefore it seems almost perfect for McDonalds to help to endorse this product, by
possibly having these machines in McDonald’s restaurants and produce an advertising campaign for it.
The Problem with this is that first of all McDonalds does not approve unsolicited ideas and therefore
would not support simply our idea. This means that our organization would not only have to have a
reputation, but would have to be successful before McDonalds would consider a merge or a
cooperation of any kind. Another way that we might be able to work together with McDonalds is to
apply for a grant from Ronald McDonald House Charities. However the only problem with this is that
these grants are only for products or research that directly benefits children. This mean that whatever
aspect of your project benefits adults will not be funded. Thus I do not believe that McDonald’s House
Charities would be willing to fund this product. However, down the road a merged ad campaign is
most definitely possible. A proposal to McDonald’s with this concept is on the following page.
32
EBSCO: 100 Leading U.S. Advertisers, 1999. from World Almanac & Book of Facts; 2001, p318, 1/2p, 1 chart
33
http://www.mcdonalds.com/corp/values/socialrespons.html
12
ADOS
1999 Burdett Avenue
Troy, NY 12180
February 5, 2016
McDonalds Corporation
Dear Sir or Madam:
To whom it may concern, this is a proposal written from the ADOS Corporation to the McDonalds Corporation. It
should be regarded with extreme scrutiny and fully considered. Our Company is proposing a sharing of ideas between these
two corporations to work together to not only benefit themselves, but society as a whole. By combining McDonalds love for
children and the community, along with the technology produced by ADOS, we can combine to help many people. Please
consider this proposal at great length and understand we are not looking for profit, but rather a better society.
Sincerely,
Carl J. Anderson, Jr.
Financial Advisor
13
Organization Goals and History
This company was started at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute as a part of a Design Studio class for Product
Design and Innovation. The aim of this class is to challenge the assumptions of current products and not only try
to improve the products, but realize their connection to society. Using these connections we are able to determine
if the product will even be useful, and if it is the actual solution to the problem. Using these techniques and others,
ADOS investigated the dental industry and the general dental system in the United States. It is facts that in the
United States 78% of Americans have at least one cavity by the time they are 17.34 This is simply an
unacceptable percentage of children to have bad teeth. The problem with unhealthy teeth include that, teeth are
vital for consumption of solid foods and for our appearance. Even if smiles are free, it is not worth it if there are no
teeth to smile with. The mouth is also a cavity of bacteria and an unhealthy mouth can lead to heart disease, and
even stroke. ADOS has a mission statement to provide dental care for everyone in America, regardless of social
class, race, sex or any other socially defining feature. A healthy mouth means a healthier person, which will
increase the health of our society. Children should not have fillings by the time they are 17 as this should simply
not be a problem. Preventative Dental Care is a system that betters the health of individuals and therefore should
be accessible to everyone; this is the goal of ADOS.
Project Information/Methodology
As discussed above, the problem that is being looked at is the lack of dental care in the United States. Though
this can be considered a social problem, ADOS proposes to provide a technical solution that will give dental care
to everyone. This will be done by building a machine that by using innovative technologies will do the work of a
dentist. ADOS wants to be clear that they are not replacing the dentist, but rather taking away the necessity to visit
the dentist every six months. Rather by visiting one of the local ADOS machines and using it free of charge,
people can clean their mouth quickly and easily. This Machine will be pain free and also only use natural cleaning
solutions. By having many machines all over the United States people can feel free to clean their mouth
thoroughly any time they wish (though ADOS recommends every 4 months). Creating country wide dental care
has just become easier as no longer is a dentist need to clean someone’s mouth, but rather a simple trip to the
local spot of an ADOS machine. ADOS looks to be on the leading edge of the dental industry and is sure to be
accepted by many people. The location of this machine is sure to be a hub of activity with many people visiting
everyday. The ADOS Corporation is proposing to link with McDonalds by placing an ADOS machine in every
McDonalds across the United States. As a company not only great in advertising, McDonalds would be sure to be
a great location for our solution. In addition we propose that McDonalds begin a dental advertising campaign
aimed at children, as what you do as a child greatly influences how you act as an adult. By increasing the number
of children who have and use toothbrushes, we can increase the oral health of the next generation. Some idea
that ADOS has developed includes, “fast brushes,” which would be toothbrushes handed out along with happy
meals. Also much as McDonalds has aimed its advertising so well at the health of adults, maybe it can do the
same for dental health. By linking these two corporation, we can better the health of America and make a great
impact on society.
34
http://www.dentalgentlecare.com/fun_dental_facts.htm
14
Target Population:
Everyone in America will have access to this product and will be able to better their health by using it. As stated
above social class, race, sex, none of this will matter as it is a universal “for-all” machine. Though the product will
be designed for all, it is true that we have an intended advertised audience. If ADOS and McDonalds can attract
children to use this product it will truly serve its purpose. Therefore children are the target advertised audience for
this product. The current generation of America is already so stricken with gum disease and other dental problems
that they are in great need of a dentist. However, perhaps this machine can save the future of America from these
problems and therefore give the future a brighter and whiter glow.
Project Objectives:
The Objectives of this project have already been stated; however to emphasis the point of this project, it is worth it
to repeat them again. The success of this project will create country and made eventually world-wide preventative
care. This will lead in dentists having more time for the severe cases or problems that truly need help; and the
machine will find these cases. By identifying these problems people will be able to keep their mouths clean, before
a larger problem develops. A key to this project is advertising, as children truly need to know how important dental
care is. If Americans do not understand the effects of an unclean mouth, then they will not treat their problems.
Thus the success of this project will be great, as long as the target population can be reached. The benefits of this
project are endless and may lead to other technologies that will eventually free us of the entire health care system.
Outcome Measurement:
The evaluation of this project will be determined by a survey of several thousand Americans, a year or two after
the ADOS machine has been introduced. This will ask if and how often people are using this machine, as well as
if they better understand the necessity of dental care due to the ADOS and McDonalds advertisements. With a
project of this magnitude, the short term outcome will be difficult to observe, however the long term outcome will be
easily evaluated. Everyone should have dental care, and therefore will.
15
Funding:
By providing a contribution to the advancement of this project, McDonalds is saving money for the future. The
placement of these machines in McDonald’s restaurants will increase the number of visits to these locations.
In addition it will counter the negative effects of the soda products provided by McDonalds. As the McDonalds
Corporation community values state; McDonalds tries to improve the health of the community, especially for
low income families. No longer will these low-income families not have access to dental care; Dental care is a
necessity that these families need. Addition Funding for this project will be sought from other investors,
though we are looking to McDonalds to be a major contributor. If the McDonalds Corporation does not help
invest in the future of this project, then it is certain another company will. The combination of ADOS and
McDonalds is a sure way to reach people and that is the goal of this project. Research funding will be provided
by grants and other means, therefore advertising is the large contribution that McDonalds would be making.
Please consider this proposal at great length, because the future of America lies in the health of our children let
us not make them suffer the same dental problems that the people of today are suffering.
- End of proposal -
16
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Current Costs
Currently there are approximately 280million people in the world. Amongst these, 80 million
are under 18 and 200 million are older than 18.35 However, dentists do not treat all of these people, in
fact only 74.1% of people under 18 and about 60.85% of people older than 18 have visited the dentist
in the past year.36 This accounts for approximately 59.28 million people younger than 18 and about
121.7 million people older than 18. Though some of these people may visit the dentist twice per year,
for the purpose of this cost analysis, we are going to assume that they only go once. In America the
average cost of a preventative dental visit including a cleaning and an x-ray is $78 for an adult. A
child also has the added fluoride cleaning which boosts the cost of a child dental visit up to $98.37
Thus by multiplying the number of children who go to the dentist, by the average cost of a dental visit
in America, we can figure out that approximately 5.81 Billion Dollars is spent on preventative children
dentist visits. In addition the amount spent on Adult preventative visits is 9.5 Billion Dollars. This
creates a grand total of 15.31 Billion Dollars being spent on preventative dental care.
Due to the fact that 44% of dental care is paid out of pocket, it can be said that at least 56% of
this total is paid by insurance companies.38 Thus, the insurance companies are paying approximately
8.57 billion dollars towards dental care every year. For this reason some sponsorship from insurance
companies in the future may also be feasible.
Another cost that I will take into account, works off the fact that 78% of Americans have at
least one cavity by the time they are 17.39 The cost of filling these cavities in America is on average
$88.75.40 From this we can determine a low estimate for the cost of filling cavities in people less than
18 years of age. There are 80 million people in this age bracket, and 78% of this is 62.4 million
people. Again by multiplying the number of people by the average cost a total of $5.54 Billion Dollars
can be acquired.
This creates a total cost of dentistry as approximately 20.85 Billion Dollars every year. Though
this is an incredibly huge estimate, it is still a very low estimate, as many of the people who do go to
the dentist go multiple times. In addition there are many adults who have dental procedures done, such
as fillings that increase the total cost of dentistry.
Benefit of ADOS machine
First off, the ADOS machine would provide a healthy and clean mouth for everyone, which is
something of so great of value, no price can be put on it. As stated earlier the health of one’s mouth
can determine the health of a person’s overall health. Thus the true benefit of this machine can not
truly be calculated, though the cost of production can be determined.
If every person in the United States (280 million people) used this machine one time every 4
months, they would get even more care than currently recommended by dentists. Since there are about
120 days in 4 months, 280 million people would have to use this machine in those 120 days. This
means that everyday 2,333,333 people would need to use one of these ADOS machines. Assuming
that the location of this device was only open for 8 hours, and someone was using it every 10 minutes,
35
www.pbs.org/newshour
http://www.dentalgentlecare.com/fun_dental_facts.htm
37
http://www.bracesinfo.com/dentalcosts/
38
http://www.dentalgentlecare.com/fun_dental_facts.htm
39
http://www.dentalgentlecare.com/fun_dental_facts.htm
40
http://www.bracesinfo.com/dentalcosts/
36
17
each machine could help 72 people per day. This number is technically low, as the machine could help
more people if they were there to use it, and many location are open for more than 8 hours each day.
By dividing the number of people who would need to use a machine every day, by 72, a number of
32,407 machines can be calculated. Rounding up, this mean that 32,500 machines will be needed to
give full accessibility to everyone in the United States. Based on the numbers that were stated earlier,
the total cost of production of each machine would be approximately $15,000. This means that a grand
total of 487.5 million dollars would be needed to fund the production of these machines. This is only
.4875 billion dollars, which is a fraction of the current amount of money people are spending on dental
visits.
Though these machines would be simple to operate and not need an attendant to watch over
them, a route driver would still be needed to drive to a number of machines, fill the reservoir tanks and
make sure everything is in fine working order. Since an average workday is 8 hours, and many
machines will be far apart, it is my hope that each route driver can service 8 machines. These
machines are their responsibility and will need to be checked every day. By dividing the number of
necessary machines (32,500) by 8, it seems that 4,065 route drivers will be necessary for upkeep and
maintenance on these systems. In New York State the average salary for a route driver is $37,056
including bonuses and benefits.41 Again by multiplying these numbers a yearly salary for route drivers
of 150.63 million would be necessary. Though this number seems small it is still a fraction of the
current cost of dental care.
Other costs of this corporation would most certainly be present, but since this machine is free
for everyone, it greatly benefits the American public. So no matter what the cost is for the ADOS
Corporation, the fact remains that it is free for any users who wish to use it. We hope that this product
will be accepted by all and thus solving the current lack of dental care in the United States. Though no
true financial value can be put on a healthy society, the graph below shows the differences in current
cost and the cost of this machine. In the current system we are paying over 21 Billion dollars every
year, and with the new system is would cost ADOS .6385 Billion Dollars. This is only 3% of the
current cost of Dental care. Obviously the possibilities of this system are incredible and not only are
they technically feasible, but this cost benefit analysis shows that they are truly financially advisable as
well.
25
20
15
Billions of
Dollars
10
5
0
Current
Cost
41
http://www.salaryexpert.com/
ADOS
Cost
ADOS
Benefit
Cost for
User
18
Alternatives – Future Research of the ADOS Corporation
Product: ADOS Fluorade
Problem: The primary purpose of Fluorade is to solve the problem that people in low income families
do not take care of their teeth and do not take the initiative.

“Poverty and non-poverty adults have been screened in a program of Multiphasic Health
Testing in which dental examinations were provided and in which information on dental care
behavior was obtained through a health inventory using a video-terminal for recording replies.
Findings of the dental examination indicate that, whatever measure of oral health was used, oral
health of the poverty group was poorer than that of the non-poverty group. The poverty group,
for example, had more dental problems, and the problems they had were more severe. They
also had lower levels of oral hygiene and less restorative treatment. The poverty group also was
more likely to be edentulous, and to have higher levels of untreated decay and periodontal
diseases. They had more missing teeth, and fewer restored teeth. Nearly all poverty-nonpoverty differences persisted when the data were controlled for age and sex. Information from
the health inventory indicates that the poverty group is less likely than those in the non-poverty
group to seek dental care in general, and also specifically for preventive dental services. Even
among the non-poverty group, however, one third stated that they never sought dental care for
‘cleanings or checkups.’”42
Vision: Our vision is then to help poor families take better care of their teeth by creating a much easier
method to prevent chronicle oral diseases. The idea is to create a drink, much like the sport drinks now
on the market, but instead of providing necessary electrolytes and sugar to rejuvenate the body, we
provide fluoride and other abrasives to fight cavity and plaque. The product will be taken in, rather
than merely temporarily applied for a longer lasting effect. This is the same principle of how coke and
coffee harms the teeth, but only reversed process. If drinking coke and coffee harms the teeth, then
drinking Fluorade will help the teeth stay strong and healthy. This drink will be sold at a very low
price, so that they would be affordable to lower levels of society. Another benefit of course is that the
product aims to take away the notion of cleansing the teeth, which hides behind the mind of children
and adults alike, creating a negative feeling towards it. The flavoring will be similar to imitate that of
sport drinks.
The challenge is identify the elements in toothpaste and in mouth wash which fights oral disease, and
find natural alternatives that are safe to be ingested at fairly large quantities. Some of the major
components in toothpaste and mouth wash are:
 Sodium bicarbonate: (baking soda) acts as a mild abrasive and as a mouth freshener. It’s
primary function is to kill bacterial; it also help neutralize the acid within the mouth created by
bacteria.
 Sorbitol: C6H14O6, a white, odorless, sweet-tasting abrasive that has very similar structure as
common table sugar, but with only 60% of the calories. It is also poorly absorbed by the body
so does not raise insulin level.
42
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=1058964&do
pt=Abstract
19




Sodium Fluoride: an active ingredient in decay prevention, providing fluoride ions which have
direct effect on the teeth.
Surfactants: detergent. Abrasives that cause irritation in the mouth cavity. Surfactants help the
remineralization process (bacteria causes demineralization) and help clean the teeth. However it
is bad-tasting.
Water: for consistency and fluidity.
Alcohol: in mouth wash.
Other minor components and effects are listed below:
Ingredients
Purpose
Hydrated Silica
Glycerin
Xylitol
Natural Flavors
Titanium Dioxide
Xanthan Gum
Disodium Phosphate
Colloidal Silver
Mild Abrasive
Flavor, Consistency
Sweetener, Consistency
Flavoring
Coloring
Consistency
Buffering
Stabilizer
Active Ingredient
Potassium nitrate
Purpose
Sensitivity reduction
Ingredient
Calcium carbonate
Purpose
Mild abrasive
Our Ingredient:
After Review: We have determined that the following ingredients could be used in the Fluorade drink
and be a safe, effective mix.
Ingredients:
 Sorbitol: abrasive, sweetener, derived from natural glucose in fruits and berries.
 Sodium bicarbonate: anti bacteria, mild abrasive, mouth freshener
 Water: purified water for consistency
 Glycerin: vegetable oils
 Xylitol: sweetener, consistency, from birch trees
 Natural flavoring: for better taste
 Fluoride: cavity prevention, from sodium fluoride. (.0073%)
All of the above chemicals are safe to ingest at reasonable doses, and all are extracted from natural
sources. We have eliminated many components unfit for this product due to its special usage, such as
sodium lauryl sulfate, which is a detergent and an irritant. Alcohol, existing in common mouth wash
was also eliminated because of its poisonous quality, which is especially unfit for children, and other
20
strong abrasives as well as coloring agents which is unnecessary for our product. The product will be
made up of over 70% water and flavorings (oils, or artificial flavoring) and roughly 30% other
chemicals (mostly baking soda for effective cavity prevention).
The Competition: There are a few natural alternative toothpastes in the market right now. We have
carefully examined their ingredients and found that other than some additional natural flavoring, there
are almost no differences between these natural toothpastes and the common toothpaste. The only
major difference being that the natural toothpastes stress that all of their ingredient comes from natural
sources. Here are some of our competitors on the market right now.
Herbodent
Ingredients: It contains extracts of neem, clove, babool , majuphal, catechu and other rare herbs
and natural extracts.
It has oils of coriander, ginger, lemon, and spearmint among other essential natural oils. $2.95
Tom’s Natural Fluoride-Free Toothpaste (sensitive teeth) $3-5, 4.58 oz.
Natural Toothpaste for Sensitive Teeth
Wintermint
Active Ingredient
Purpose
Source
Potassium nitrate
Sensitivity
reduction
Nitrate ore and brine
Ingredient
Purpose
Source
Glycerin
Moistener
Vegetable oils
Calcium carbonate
Mild abrasive
Purified calcium bicarbonate
Water
Consistency
Maine aquifer
Hydrated silica
Mild abrasive
Purified silica from the earth
Sodium bicarbonate
Mouth
freshness
Purified sodium bicarbonate
Xylitol
Flavor
Birch trees
Wintergreen and peppermint oils
Flavor
and other natural flavors
Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) plant,
peppermint (Mentha piperita) leaves, and other
natural flavors
Sodium lauryl sulfate
Dispersant
Derived from coconut oil
Carrageenan
Thickener
Seaweed (Chondrus crispus)
Cocamidopropyl betaine
Thickener
Derived from coconut oil
21
Natural Antigingivitis Toothpaste—Peppermint
Active ingredient
2% zinc citrate trihydrate
Purpose
Antigingivitis/antiplaque
Source
Derived from purified zinc
from the earth
Ingredient
Calcium carbonate
Pupose
Mild abrasive
Source
Purified calcium from the
earth
Glycerin
Moistener
Vegetable oils
Water
Consistency
Maine aquifer
Xylitol
Flavor
Birch trees
Chamomile extract
Soothing feel
Chamomile (Matricaria
recutita) flowers
Sodium lauryl sulfate
Dispersant
Derived from coconut oil
Peppermint oil
Flavor
Peppermint (Mentha
piperita) leaves
Carrageenan
Thickener
Seaweed (Chondrus crispus)
Sodium bicarbonate
Mouth freshness
Purifed sodium bicarbonate
from the earth
Tea Tree Naturals Toothpaste $4.55, 4 oz.
Ingredients
Sorbitol
Hydrated Silica
Purified Water
Glycerin
Sodium Lauryl Sarcosinate
Xylitol
Natural Flavors
Titanium Dioxide
Xanthan Gum
Tea Tree Oil
Disodium Phosphate
Eucalyptus Oil
Stevia
Colloidal Silver
Fluoride *
Purpose
Flavoring
Mild Abrasive
Consistency
Flavor, Consistency
Foaming
Sweetener, Consistency
Flavoring
Coloring
Consistency
Unique Oil
Buffering
Flavoring
Sweetener
Stabilizer
Fights Cavities
Source
From Natural Glucose
Natural Mineral
Natural Ozark Water
Pharmaceutical Grade
From Coconut Oil
From Natural Xylose
Natural Sources
Natural Pigment
Natural Fermentation
Melaleuca Tree Leaves
Natural Mineral
Eucalyptus Leaves
Stevia Plant Leaves
Micro Fine Silver Colloid
From Natural Mineral
22
Cost:
Sorbitol: Current: $0.395 per lb.
http://www.the-innovation-group.com/ChemProfiles/Sorbitol.htm
Sodium bicarbonate: $0.85 per lb.
Water: $.0015 per gallon.
Glycerin: $0.80 per lb.
Xylitol: $7.00 per lb.
Natural flavoring: no more than $1.20 per lb.
Fluoride: no more than $0.497/gram
www.sonic.net/kryptox/econ/ebmud.htm
Our drink will be roughly the same size as other drinks on the market, which is 20 oz, or 600ml. Each
drink will cost approximately:
Calculations: (per 1000 bottles)
Water: 600L* 70% * 1 gallon/3.785L* $.0015/gallon = roughly 17 cents
Sorbitol: 600 L=600lb * 10% * $0.395/lb = $23.7
Sodium bicarbonate: 600lb * 15% * $0.83/lb = $74.7
Glycerin: 600lb * .5% * $0.80/lb = $2.40
Fluoride: 100ppmF (1ppmF in tap water, 500ppmF in children’s toothpaste)
www.racesinfo.com/gendent/fluoride.htm (cost of fluoridation of water and ppmF)
600lb * 70% water = 420lb * 453 gram/lb * 1mol/18 gram * 6.02X1023particles/mol
/1000000particles = 6.36288X1021 million parts per 1000 drinks.
6.36288X1021million parts of water per 1000 drinks * 100ppmF = 6.36288X1023 particles of fluoride
per 1000 drinks / 6.02X1023particles/mol = 1.057 moles of fluoride per 1000 drinks * 19.0 grams/ mol
= 20.083 gram * $0.497/gram = $9.98
Xylitol: 600lb* 2.5% * $7.00/lb = $105
Natural flavoring: 600lb * 1% * $1.20/lb = $7.20
0.17 + 23.7 + 74.7 + 2.40 + 9.98 + 105 + 7.20 = $223.15 per 1000 drinks
Equals: 22.3 cents per drink*
*Price of drink is determined by commercial prices of chemicals, actual cost of production should be much
lower if chemicals were obtained directly from suppliers.
Together, the estimated price of Fluorade is much lower than that of regular toothpaste and mouth
wash. With a much lower cost and with the product being over 80% effective compared to common
toothpaste, it makes sense to choose Fluorade over toothpaste.
23
Marketing: we realize that Fluorade is mostly a preventative process and will have the best effect on
children, we must target our advertising towards the parents who are responsible for understanding the
importance of good dental health, and its significant effects on their child’s future. Once the parents
have made the commitment, the rest is up to our product to make itself attractive/ delicious for its
consumers.
Assumption:
 We must note that the basis of our product is founded on the assumption that the ingredients in
Fluorade is indeed safe at large enough quantities to serve its purpose without harming the
health of its youngest users: children age 8 and above.
 There are no long term health effects
 The product is over 80% as effective as toothpaste and frequent brushing.
References:
http://www.oralhealthamerica.org/news/042303.html
http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/caring_for_your_teeth.html
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=422071&tools=bot
http://www.drbunn.com/tthpste.htm
http://chemistry.about.com/z/js/o.htm?k=natural%20toothpaste&d=Natural%20Toothpaste&r=http%3
A//chemistry.about.com/cs/howtos/ht/toothpaste.htm
http://chemistry.about.com/cs/howtos/ht/toothpaste.htm
http://sci-toys.com/ingredients/toothpaste.html
http://www.chem.ox.ac.uk/course/ityeartwo/html/aquafreshtoothpaste.htm
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=1058964&dopt
=Abstract
Conclusion
Our solution and vision are what we felt would be the best possible solution to improve dental
care for low income people. The ideas built upon each other and slowly have grown into what we have
presented as one foundation. The solution has minimal negative repercussions on society, but offers
enormous benefits for everyone. It provides cost effective, accessible dental care for anyone that
chooses to use it. As a non profit corporation we can ensure that these ideals are maintained. This
could be the future of dental care.
About the Authors:
Carl Anderson: Report Editor, Financial Advisor
Sean Bender: Technical Systems Suppot
Edward Dan: Publicity Relations
Nate Nicolato: Insurance Consultant
Yin Wang: Chemical Research Supervisor
Brian Werneke: Report Co-Editor, Social Scientist, Project Manager
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Resources
Nate –
www.medhealthplus.com
“Dental Plans-Ranked by Enrollment-Directory-Statistical Data Included” from the Los Angles
Business Journal May 14, 2001 by Natasha Prishva
“Impact of Targeted, School Based Dental Sealant Programs in Reducing Racial and Economic
Disparities in Sealant Prevalence Among Schoolchildren” from the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly
Report August 31, 2001 (author not listed)
Yinhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=1058964&dopt
=Abstract
http://www.the-innovation-group.com/ChemProfiles/Sorbitol.htm
www.sonic.net/kryptox/econ/ebmud.htm
www.racesinfo.com/gendent/fluoride.htm
http://www.oralhealthamerica.org/news/042303.html
http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/caring_for_your_teeth.html
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=422071&tools=bot
http://www.drbunn.com/tthpste.htm
http://chemistry.about.com/z/js/o.htm?k=natural%20toothpaste&d=Natural%20Toothpaste&r=http%3
A//chemistry.about.com/cs/howtos/ht/toothpaste.htm
http://chemistry.about.com/cs/howtos/ht/toothpaste.htm
http://sci-toys.com/ingredients/toothpaste.html
http://www.chem.ox.ac.uk/course/ityeartwo/html/aquafreshtoothpaste.htm
EdConducted a survey online
SeanConstructed the model; no resources of design
Carlwww.grants1.nih.gov/grants
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www.fedgrants.gov
www.nysccc.org
http://www.cbanet.org/Products/ATM2PG.htm
EBSCO: 100 Leading U.S. Advertisers, 1999. from World Almanac & Book of Facts; 2001, p318,
http://www.mcdonalds.com/corp/values/socialrespons.html
www.pbs.org/newshour
http://www.dentalgentlecare.com/fun_dental_facts.htm
http://www.bracesinfo.com/dentalcosts/
http://www.salaryexpert.com/
Brianhttp://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/full/10.1046/j..2003.com122.x
http://www.nature.com/cgitaf/DynaPage.taf?file=/bdj/journal/v187/n3/full/4800224a.html&filetype=pdf
http://www.scielosp.org/pdf/bwho/v83n9/v83n9a04.pdf
http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/83/9/infocus0905/en/
http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1001&context=books
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=3272052&dopt
=Citation
http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1001&context=books
http://www.bracesinfo.com/dentalcosts/
http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/83/9/infocus0905/en/
http://www.earthtym.net/ref-dent-clean.htm
http://www.bracesinfo.com/cardiovascular.htm
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids
=16162620&query_hl=3
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