Born in the PNW: Sonicare’s Dental Innovation Legacy
While the Pacific Northwest is recognized for its technological leadership and burgeoning life sciences sector, another significant influencer has quietly emerged: dental innovation.
With roots at the University of Washington, Seattle's dental sector has evolved over the past 30 years, catalyzing new technologies and artful design in oral healthcare and product development.
In this article, we explore our region’s rich history of dental innovation, shedding light on the pioneers, institutions, and experts who have been instrumental in shaping the region's impact on dental product development.
Rooted in the University of Washington
The application of sonic technology has touched various industries, from aerospace to medical imaging equipment and even in the cleaning and sanitation of industrial products. Yet, in 1992, sonic tooth brushing represented a groundbreaking technological advancement in home oral health care.
This journey began at the University of Washington, where researchers made a fascinating discovery. They found that exposing oral bacteria to acoustic energy reduced their ability to adhere to dental surfaces. The discovery inspired them to create an electric toothbrush that harnessed the power of this technology.
The toothbrush, named Sonicare, was nothing short of revolutionary. Its microprocessor produced between 16,000 and 45,000 bristle strokes per minute (compared to 300 of a manual brush), creating dynamic fluid activity in the mouth.
Laboratory studies demonstrated that the brush effectively damaged plaque bacteria, diminishing their ability to cling to teeth and gums after just two minutes of use.
The visionary behind this venture was David Giuliani, an entrepreneur with an electrical engineering background. Giuliani founded the Optiva Corporation, along with his partners David Engel (University of Washington School of Dentistry) and Roy Martin (University of Washington School of Bioengineering).
After years of research and prototypes, the first sonic toothbrush launched in 1992, marking a pivotal moment in the toothbrush sector.
Innovation Behind the Scenes
While the three principal founders, synonymous with Sonicare's success, remain at the heart of the narrative, the company's journey extends beyond their pioneering vision.
Chris McInnes, another University of Washington connection and Ph.D. in Bioengineering, joined the Optiva/Sonicare team in 1992 as employee #6. Chris served as the Principal Scientist working on the flagship Sonicare toothbrush to establish clinical safety and efficacy.
In 1998, Richard Taylor, an engineer with a background in the aerospace, medical and consumer product industries, joined the Sonicare team as Principal Engineer when only the original product still graced the market.
Technological Advancements
As Chris arrived, one of his first mandates with the original product was to work on using the motion of the fluid in the mouth to aid in cleaning.
To achieve this, he drew inspiration from the fluid dynamics industry. He applied principles commonly used for cleaning petroleum from oil pipelines to gain a deeper understanding of bacteria—how they develop, spread, and, most importantly, how to disrupt their behavior effectively.
The team also explored the dental industry's water application in cavitation units for professional cleaning. Until now, these highly efficient tools were restricted to clinical settings, leaving consumers with less effective options at home.
Chris spearheaded this effort, developing patented technology that introduced adaptive load sensors to enhance the brushing experience, resulting in a significantly more effective cleaning action in the user’s mouth.
After years of research and prototypes, the first sonic toothbrush launched in 1992, marking a pivotal moment in the toothbrush sector. The technology created and patented in those early days serves as the basis of all Sonicare products today.
User Experience
Richard joined the team in 1998 as Sonicare was developing improvements to the original product and beginning development of a second-generation product.
As always, Sonicare's primary goal was to create a consumer-oriented product.
Before its emergence, the at-home oral hygiene market needed more innovation. People were brushing their teeth, but they weren't enthusiastic about their product choices.
As significant as the novel technical innovations were in providing better cleaning, it is important to recognize the transformative nature that Sonicare had on the consumer market. Suddenly, people had a high-end and high-tech alternative to the manual toothbrush.
The next generation of Sonicare products introduced user-centric improvements such as bristle motion, head and neck shape, ergonomic design, and an updated user interface.
Chis and Richard worked together on the development of the second-generation Sonicare. Richard’s background in consumer products helped him lead product development work. The Sonicare Elite improved the overall tooth-brushing experience, making it more productive and enjoyable for the end user.
“We knew that if end-users could become crusaders of their own experience, the results would exceed our expectations.” - Chris McInnes
The result: Sonicare became a dentist-recommended product as customers welcomed it into their bathrooms and talked about the results to friends and family.
Ultreo: A Sonicare Legacy
While working on Sonicare, Chris and Richard discovered that the complex nature of oral health was heavily influenced by an individual's anatomy and oral environment.
Toothbrushes were not a one-size-fits-all solution.
Richard left Sonicare in 2001, followed by Chris in 2004.
However, the two ended up back together at a new company with a shared Sonicare lineage—Ultreo, led by local entrepreneur Jack Gallagher.
Ultreo’s foundational technology was invented by another University of Washington professor, Pierre Mourad, who combined sonic and ultrasound physics to create this novel approach to cleaning.
This foundation propelled Chris and Richard’s work at Ultreo, where they patented the integration of low-level ultrasound technology into toothbrushes —a unique feature distinct from their work at Sonicare.
Chris and his team got to work, holding clinical trials in the United States and Canada. Research showed that adding ultrasound to the power toothbrush removed more plaque between the teeth and below the gum than bristle action alone.
Richard focused on developing the Utreo Ultrasound toothbrush and getting it into production.
Despite its innovative approach and loyal customers, Ultreo ultimately ceased production in 2012.
Collaborative Innovation
In the vibrant innovation community of the Pacific Northwest, we are fortunate to have renowned engineering departments, medical schools, aerospace manufacturing, technology and life science talent, and an appetite for taking risks to change paradigms.
In fact, PCS shares in this heritage, acting as a bridge between these domains for our clients. Ultimately, this enables them to catalyze innovation and continue to transform the dental industry.
-Scott Thielman, CTO of Product Creation Studio
Sonicare's success is a prime example of how the University of Washington's scientific foundation has contributed significantly to dental innovation in the region.
Beyond its groundbreaking technology, Sonicare’s trajectory served as a catalyst for nurturing experts in the field. As highlighted in this article, behind-the-scenes individuals like Richard and Chris used the platform to drive research, design principles, and technological patents that, in turn, continue to propel advancements in the dental industry beyond the scope of Sonicare.
Today, Chris owns and operates JC McInnes Consulting in Seattle. He collaborates with inventors and startups in dental and other medical-related fields, offering expertise in research, product safety and efficacy, product development, intellectual property protection, and more.
Richard serves as Senior Mechanical Engineer here at Product Creation Studio, where he draws on his wide range of experience working on products from many industries, including medical, dental, and consumer.