11 March 2023

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BURST CEO invented first toothbrush as a teen

Paola Omini

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The leaders at BURST — Brittany Stewart and Hamish Khayat — launched their company in 2017 with an eye toward innovation and affordability. They believe that dental professionals should be involved in product development and that this was lacking in the industry. Their product line includes sleek and colorful toothbrushes for adults and kids, floss and a water flosser, whitening trays and strips and oral probiotics. Consumers can buy these products directly on Amazon and Walmart.com and at select Walmart locations. 

Khayat recently spoke with Dentistry33 about creating BURST, how its products are different than other oral care companies and clinical evidence for its toothbrushes and floss. 

Q: Why did you create BURST Oral Care?

Khayat:  I've always been keen on oral care — okay, more than keen. It was closer to an obsession. I invented my first toothbrush at 19 while studying at the University of Bristol, which tells you a lot. 

I started learning about the oral care industry from the ground up, visiting tradeshows, suppliers and manufacturing sites. I was on a mission to reboot what I saw as an out-of-touch and unimaginative status quo with better and more affordable options. 

Before BURST was even a thought, I asked hygienists and dentists what they wanted in an ideal electric toothbrush. Once I got a prototype together, I found an incredible co-founder and friend in Brittany Stewart. We continued building that community of hygienists and dentists — the folks on the front lines caring for patients every day. The rest is history. 

Q: What makes BURST different from its competitors?

Khayat: Far and away, it's the BURST Ambassador dental professionals. They are our partners in everything we do. Our ambassadors are the dentists, hygienists and students who help us ideate, iterate and test every BURST product. 

They're a tight-knit community that's super supportive, always game for a good time and, in general, a riot (if you were a fly on the wall at a BURSTcon...). 

They bring the brains — expertise and experience — and we bring the brawn — manufacturing capabilities, etc. And then we roll it all into a profit-sharing model, so everyone gets a piece of the pie.

Q: Why is it important for BURST to use this insider dental knowledge? 

Khayat: I am not a dental professional or a trained medical professional. Many leaders at other oral care companies aren't either but will instead rely on focus groups with a handful of professionals after they've created a product. 

I wanted to go way beyond that. To make the best products, we need to crowdsource these experts' untapped knowledge from the beginning stages of product development. It's about time they have their voices heard because they've got a LOT to say. 

Q: How many dental professionals recommend BURST? 

Khayat: Currently, I would say more than 38,000 dental professionals recommend our products. Insanity. If you would've told me how this would've grown back in college, I would not have believed it. 

Q: What clinical evidence do you have available on BURST products?

Khayat: A ton! And we keep it all publicly on file for anyone to access at any time. Check it out in full at burstoralcare.com/clinical. 

For now, here are some highlights we're especially proud of:

• Our BURST Sonic Toothbrush is shown to remove up to 10 times more plaque and reduces gum bleeding (gingivitis) up to 3 times more than a manual toothbrush.
• BURST Expanding Floss is shown to remove up to 85% of plaque on surfaces toothbrushes can't reach.
• Our BURSTkids Sonic Toothbrush provides up to 26 times better plaque reduction compared to a manual toothbrush. 

Q: Your products are very affordable compared to competitors on the market. How can a product that is that low in price still be of high quality?

Khayat: We charge a fair amount for us and the customer. We crunch the numbers to see where we can nip and tuck to keep prices low and quality high. Our company is entirely remote, so there's no office overhead — things like that. We get creative. 

The bottom line is that oral healthcare is a human right; everyone deserves access. We make our financial decisions with that in mind, always. 

Q: What's the future of BURST? What other products are on the horizon?

Khayat: Every product that our community wants to make is for their patients. They are bursting with ideas (no pun intended) based on real-life experience listening to patients' concerns. So, keep your eyes peeled.

Q: Your products are available for purchase online and at stores across the country. If a dentist wants to recommend your product, what's the best way? 

Khayat: Check out our Office Program. We have specialists, former and current hygienists, ready to nerd out on oral care and to answer any questions. 

Dentists can also purchase our products in bulk at a wholesale price by visiting the BURST Office Program at burstoralcare.com/wholesale.