The Finger Flosser ME 553 – Off Campus Group #10 Adam Foresman Cody Balk Kelly Walker Daniel Villano Jacob Chenathara

Benefits of Flossing Flossing is a necessary and healthy way to maintain good teeth as well as cut down on heart disease Medical Reasons Reduce the amount of bacteria/plaque in your mouth especially in hard to reach places that a toothbrush cannot get to. Reduce/prevent inflammation of gums Prevent bone loss from occurring Personal Reasons Self esteem High teeth treatment costs

Difficulties when Flossing Timely when you combine all morning and nightly activities such as brushing teeth, using mouth wash, showering, brushing hair, putting on makeup, washing face, etc. No immediate satisfaction after flossing (i.e, brushing teeth and mouthwash can create whiter teeth and cause fresh breath) Hard to reach places that make it difficult Gets caught in between teeth

Flossing Statistics 80% are not happy with their smile 73% of Americans would rather go grocery shopping than floss 28% or less of population floss nightly Most people cite lack of time as a reason for not flossing 59% of children ages 5-17 have tooth decay which is the most common chronic disease for children of this age 33% of low-income adults have untreated decay 40% of children in poor or near-poor poverty level had a preventive dental visit in the past year 51 million school hours per year are lost because of dental related illness Gum disease – and not the aging process – is the leading cause of tooth loss in older adults

Potential Solutions Ideas generated Target users

Flossing Solution Description, CAD pics, Prototype Pics, etc.

Flossing Market Summary More than $200 million in US alone. Major players are Glide, J&J, Colgate (>80% of market share) Flossing product types: Traditional floss thread Flossing Picks Individual flossing heads Water picks Mouthwash is considered a separate industry Don't use waterpicks as a substitute for tooth brushing and flossing. They are effective around orthodontic braces that retain food in areas a toothbrush cannot reach. They do not remove plaque. Academy of General Dentistry

Finger Flosser Portfolio Types Individual Sample Kits: 1 body, 4 heads (Free to $1) For dentist or schools Travel Kits: 1 body, 14 heads (2 weeks for 1 person)($2-3) To be sold at convenient stores, hotels, airports Personal Use: 2 bodies, 200 heads (1 person for 3-4 months) To be sold at convenient stores, grocery stores ($3-5) Family Size (>6 months for 4, different colored bodies) ($5-7) To be sold at convenient stores, grocery stores Packaging Plastic zip lock bag with flossing heads in separate bag Cardboard box for family size Body Colors Blue, Green, Red, Yellow, Pink and Orange Head Shapes Straight & Curved

Flossing Business Model Mostly sell in retail & grocery stores (Wal-Mart, CVS) Product value strategies: Giveaways at dentist offices 155,000 dentists in US Giveaways at elementary schools Servicing value strategy Operational practices strategy

Flossing Business Model Contd Other business strategies to investigate: Collaboration Sponsorship Brand loyalty Co-marketing with travel toothpaste/toothbrush company to cover entire daily oral maintenance portfolio. Excluding mouthwash which isnt as travel friendly.

Revenue & Pricing Strategies Volume and unit sales Marketing strategies by segmenting different target users Portfolio pricing depends on location & type of store, etc. Be competitive but realistic in price Product improvements are addressed for people that do not normally floss and have difficulties with current technologies but those people that do not want to spend much $ on floss.

References Survey results: American Hygienist Ass 2/03 Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), Surgeon General David Satcher Number of Dentists: