Oral care appliances find home in dental section

Drug Store News, Jan 3, 1994

More retailers are beginning to move dental appliances out of the personal care appliance set and into the dental section.

Motivated by a flurry of introductions in the dental electrics category and increased consumer attention to tooth and gum maintenance, drug stores find that including the items within a broad dental section creates a stronger presence for those products.

Automatic plaque removers alone have had a 24 percent increase in sales in the first three quarters of 1993, compared with comparable quarters in 1992, according to Frank Brichetto, product manager at Omron Healthcare, manufacturers of Versadent *2 anti-plaque electrics.

"Growth in the segment has been stimulated by competitive battles waged by Interplak and Braun," said Brichetto. "Increased advertising and promotional activity has really gotten the consumer's attention."

The introduction of lower-priced models has also helped the segment. Family units, which retail for $95 to $120, are being joined on the shelves by individual models priced at $79 to $89.

New players, such as Omron, have also added excitement to the category.

How chains merchandise

New Orleans-based K&B is just one retailer that has recently moved the flurry of new items to the dental care section. "It ties in better in the new location," said buyer Chuck Gautreaux.

"I think it's the greatest move they can make," said John Jansheski, president of U.S. Dentek, the company that manufactures the Gingibrush unit, which retails for $19.99 to $24.99. "When customers see it advertised in circulars, the first place they'll go in a store to find the item is the dental section."

Walgreens is currently pegging the Gingibrush system in its dental implement set.

Thrifty, which recently moved dental electrics away from the pharmacy department to the dental wall, is merchandising Gingibrush replacement heads near Interplak replacement heads, and is placing the system on the bottom shelf beneath toothbrushes.

Sunbeam, which offers an opening price point electric toothbrush, an electric angled toothbrush and a water jet appliance, is downsizing its packaging to better fit its products within the dental set.

Genovese is already merchandising Water Pik and Interplak pieces in the dental set.

Other retailers, such as Eagleville, Pa.-based I Got It At Gary's, are cross-merchandising the items in the dental set and on personal care endcaps.

Promotion essential

Buyers say promotion is essential to the category. Said one retailer: "To be successful in this area, you have to advertise the products and be competitively priced."

Retailers say that sales of dental electrics are strongest in the fourth quarter. Tulsa, Okla.-based May's, for example, sold 300 pieces of the Interplak system priced at $69 and $79 in 1992, most of those pieces during December. (Figures for the 1993 Christmas season weren't available at press time.)

Said buyer Ken Fossaceca at Cleveland-based Medic Discount: "We've been very successful with Interplak and plan to take advantage of the new Water Pik Plaque-Control 3000 unit and another new item, Viajet [from Fort Collins, Colo.-based Viadent Inc.}. We'll promote these items in circulars."