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- Oral‑B and iADH build on four years of action to advance inclusive oral care and whole‑body health
- 41% of Europeans identify as living with a disability, representing a four‑point increase wave‑on‑wave
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BARCELONA, Spain — Oral‑B today announces The Big Rethink 2026, the next evolution of its flagship oral health inclusion programme, developed in partnership with the International Association for Disability and Oral Health (iADH). The new phase introduces Project Steady, one of Europe’s largest real‑world studies exploring oral care experiences among people with disabilities, their carers and dental professionals. The programme aims to reduce everyday barriers to oral care through inclusive design, evidence-based research and professional education.
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Oral health for Whole-Body Health
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Since its launch in 2022, The Big Rethink has been grounded in a clear belief: oral health is fundamental to whole‑body health, confidence and quality of life. For people with disabilities, barriers to daily oral care can have wider health and social implications – making inclusion an essential part of improving oral health outcomes.
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The mouth is the gateway to the body and therefore acts as a mirror to your overall health. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) oral disease affects nearly 3.5 billion people,1 Oral-B is on a mission to make the invisible connection between oral health and whole body health visible and to empower people to take their health into their own hands.
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A growing and unequal challenge
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New research from the Oral-B European Disability Study 2025 reveal that 41% of Europeans identify as living with a disability, representing a four‑point increase wave‑on‑wave2, driven by a broader range of visible and invisible conditions. Based on a survey of more than 9,000 adults across nine European markets3, the findings reveal a significant disparity in daily oral care experiences.
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- 52% of people with physical disabilities and 63% people with cognitive disabilities report struggling with oral care, compared with 33% of non‑disabled people. These gaps highlight the need for oral health systems, services and tools to better reflect the realities of everyday life4.
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Project Steady: One of Europe’s largest real‑world oral health studies
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At the heart of The Big Rethink 2026 is a six‑month, multi‑country study gathering real‑world feedback from people with disabilities, their carers and dental professionals across Europe. The study known as Project Steady represents the next wave of The Big Rethink, focused on understanding lived experience and identifying practical ways to remove everyday barriers to oral care. The Europe‑wide study builds on learnings from an earlier pilot phase led by dental professionals, which highlighted how everyday usability challenges can disrupt oral care routines.
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In the pilot case study of dexterity impaired patients run in February-March 2026 in collaboration with Dr Ana Molina, 90% reduced areas with high amount of plaque after one month of using the accessory with Oral-B iO2, with 40% also showing improved gum health5.
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Consumer feedback highlighted practical everyday benefits, with consumers commenting:
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- “Easier to hold and control for people with limited hand dexterity.”
- “More comfortable brushing experience.”
- “Helps clean more tooth surfaces and reach difficult areas.”
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From insight to action
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As part of the large study, participants will use Oral‑B’s iO2 electric toothbrush alongside a new adaptive accessory, designed to address two common, practical challenges to brushing:
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- Control and ergonomics – improved grip, manoeuvrability and button access
- Stability and toothpaste application – helping prevent roll‑away and make toothpaste use easier
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The expected outcomes are:
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- A more accessible brushing experience, reducing everyday usability barriers
- Improved oral-health results, supported by real- world product performance
- Solutions shaped directly by lived experiences, informed by participant feedback throughout the study
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Oral-B Disability Champion Programme
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Oral-B has recently launched a test for 200 Disability Champions across Europe to test the adaptive accessory with respective patients
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Oral-B launched the Disability Champions Award Programme as part of its ongoing mission to make oral care for accessible to everybody. In partnership with the iADH, the programme aims to make the dentist office experience across Europe more inclusive and positive for those with disabilities and their caregivers.
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A long-term commitment to inclusion
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The Big Rethink 2026
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complements Oral‑B’s ongoing initiatives:
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- Disability Champions programme, which supports more disability‑positive dental practices,
- iADH co‑created education programme designed to help dental professionals better support patients with disabilities.
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By pairing large‑scale research with inclusive design and professional education, The Big Rethink 2026 marks a decisive step in addressing barriers to oral care and supporting better whole‑body health for more people.
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Paolo Grue, Senior Vice President, Oral Care Europe, Procter & Gamble
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, said: “We are incredibly proud to be continuing and evolving The Big Rethink. Since its launch, it has shown that oral health is not an isolated issue – it is fundamental to whole‑body health, confidence and quality of life. With
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Project Steady
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, we are building on that commitment by launching one of our most ambitious research initiatives to date listening directly to people with disabilities and translating real‑world insight into practical, inclusive solutions. This is how we create real, lasting progress. When inclusion leads, better oral health and better overall health follows.”
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