Gypsy, a seven-year-old female Jack Russell terrier, is Dental Grade 0—perfect oral health. She receives an annual professional dental cleaning, eats a dental diet, and receives a dental chew daily. Consistent home and professional care make a significant difference, explains Gypsy’s owner, Mary L. Berg, BS, LATG, RVT, VTS (Dentistry), FVTE, and president of Beyond the Crown Veterinary Education in Lawrence, Kan. Mary Berg with her dog, Gypsy. Photo courtesy Mary Berg Because dental disease is the number one diagnosed health concern, up your educational game and merchandising strategies. Here’s how to introduce dental products to improve patients’ health and your retail revenue. 1) Choose products wisely Decide which dental products your practice will carry. Consider products with the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) Seal of Acceptance, which have been scientifically vetted. VOHC has downloadable PDFs of more than 70 dog and 20 cat dental products with its seal (https://vohc.org/accepted-products/). Choose products that require prescriptions such as therapeutic diets and over-the-counter (OTC) products that are exclusive to veterinary hospitals—reducing internet pharmacy and retail competition. Limit your selection to one to two brands—less is more. Too many choices create decision paralysis and may result in fewer purchases.1 Evaluate which categories and brands you’ll carry: Dental diets Dental chews Pet toothpaste Toothbrushes Dental wipes Drinking water additives Oral gel sprays 2) Use visual merchandising Tiered or floating shelves, glass cabinets, and countertops can display teaching tools and dental products. At Companion Animal Dentistry in Overland Park, Kan., Susan E. Crowder, DVM, DAVDC, displays toothbrushes, pet toothpaste, dental models, and anatomical illustrations on exam room shelves and counters. When teaching tools and products are within reach, your team will consistently educate clients about procedures and home-care options (Figure 1). Figure 1. Eye level is buy level. Having products within reach also means your team is more likely to consistently recommend them. At Companion Animal Dentistry in Overland Park, Kan., products are featured on an eye-level shelf while teaching tools of models and anatomical drawings are on counters. PHOTO COURTESY COMPANION ANIMAL DENTISTRY, OVERLAND PARK, KAN. 3) Place products in clients’ hands You will substantially increase their likelihood of buying products.2 Physical touch creates a stronger sense of ownership and increases perceived value. Have demonstration products in the same spot in every exam room so staff habitually discuss them. “Put products in clients’ hands,” advises Berg. “They may not see lobby displays in the busyness of check-in.” Prominently display dental products in February during National Pet Dental Health Month and switch to preventatives in April for National Heartworm Awareness Month. VCA Madison Animal Hospital in Madison, N.J., displays dental products next to its client beverage center. As products sell, push items forward on shelves. PHOTO COURTESY MARY BERG 4) Put prescription labels on dispensed products Prescription labels inform clients on how to use the product, for which pet it is intended, how to contact the hospital if they have questions, and where to obtain refills. Place a sticker with a QR code that directs clients to a video of your staff demonstrating how to use the product. Share videos on your website and social media. To promote the ease of refilling products through your hospital, include your phone number, online pharmacy details, and a link to an online prescription refill request form on the prescription label. 5) Ask about home dental care How you ask matters. During wellness appointments, ask pet owners, “What dental care do you give at home, such as brushing teeth, dental chews, dental diet, or other products?” This approach emphasizes the importance of dental home care compared to the closed-ended question of “Do you brush your pet’s teeth?” If the client is not doing anything, make getting started easy. Less than 10 percent of pet owners brush their pets’ teeth daily.3 “Clients have to feed their pets every day,” says Berg. “Dental diets are like a consumable toothbrush due to the mechanical action.” 6) Use problem-solution selling When recommending a dental product, say, “When your dog uses this dental chew, the tooth penetrates it, scraping along the side to physically remove plaque. This mechanical cleaning can help prevent plaque and tartar buildup when fed daily. I give my dog, Gypsy, this dental chew every day. I know you’ll be impressed with the results, too.” Put “Staff Favorite” signs next to products. Include photos of employees with their pets and brief testimonials about why they recommend the product. This personal touch can drive more sales. 7) Have backup products Get clients started on a lifetime of brushing pets’ teeth during puppy and kitten visits. Revisit brushing during wellness appointments, too. Demonstrate brushing on a dental model, especially if the pet’s mouth is sensitive, advises Berg. The technician brushes one side of the dental model and then has the client brush the other side. Provide tips, such as rewarding the pet with a favorite activity or treats afterwards. If clients resist brushing, have a backup product, such as dental wipes, chews, or diets. “People may wipe their dog’s teeth daily instead of brushing,” Berg says. “A dental wipe is an effective way of removing plaque from the crowns of the teeth.” 8) Level up the value of dental discharge appointments Clients have just invested in their pets’ professional dental treatments and are all ears about prevention. During admission appointments, schedule a time for the 15-minute discharge appointment later that day. Review dental X-rays, share results of the procedure, provide medication instructions, and recommend products to keep mouths healthy. “The first layer of plaque (biofilm) forms within 20 minutes of a professional cleaning,” Berg says. “Consistent use of home-care products could stretch the time between dental cleanings.” Book a follow-up technician appointment one week later, which is included in the procedure fees. The technician will see how extraction sites are healing, revisit home-care products, and ask which the pet owner prefers. Ask, “What can we do to support you?” advises Berg. Technicians should give clients their business cards at the end of appointments. Include the technician’s work email and hospital phone number in case pet owners have follow-up questions. 9) Offer dental goodie bags Product samples encourage trial and future purchases—65 percent of consumers who sampled a product bought it.4 Tell clients during dental discharge appointments, “We just cleaned ’s teeth. We want to keep the mouth as healthy as possible. This product works,” explains Berg. Offer samples, such as dental chews, dental diets, pet toothpaste, and a toothbrush. “If you can get freebies, great. If not, spend a little money. You can get 30 samples out of one bag of dental chews. Some brands come individually wrapped,” says Berg. When Berg worked in private practice, every dental patient received a 5-lb dental diet during the discharge appointment, which was included in procedure fees. “I always give clients two dental product choices,” says Berg. “If they can’t brush their pets’ teeth daily, they can feed a dental diet.” Examine your hospital’s retail strategy in exam rooms and your lobby. Put dental products front and center during February—and keep them year-round. Every month is dental month. Wendy S. Myers, CVJ, trains veterinary teams to communicate with clarity and confidence, inspiring client trust and better medical care. Founder of Communication Solutions for Veterinarians, she teaches proven skills through online courses, conferences, and consulting. Myers’ experience as a partner in a specialty and emergency hospital gives her insight into practice challenges. Explore her online training at CsvetsCourses.com. References https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/petcare/pet-dental-care#:~ United Ad Label. Expanding your veterinary clinic’s retail business. Published September 19, 2024. Accessed December 10, 2025. https://www.unitedadlabel.com/blog/post/expanding-your-veterinary-clinics-retail-business/ Peck J. How can brands harness the power of touch and increase sales? Sappi. Accessed December 10, 2025. https://www.sappi.com/en-us/insights/articles/how-can-brands-harness-power-touch-and-increase-sales AAHA Trends. Brush, chew, and chomp: Canine and feline dental home care tips for your clients. Published February 1, 2024. Accessed December 10, 2025. https://www.aaha.org/newstat/publications/brush-chew-and-chomp-canine-and-feline-dental-home-care-tips-for-your-clients/ Promobile Marketing. Do free samples increase sales? The psychology of product sampling. Published June 25, 2024. Accessed December 10, 2025. https://www.promobilemarketing.com/blog/psychology-of-sampling
