In the Business of Smiles
October 28, 2013鈥擩oe Brennan (C鈥�12) is into teeth. That makes sense given he comes from a long line of dentists. But filling cavities and extracting teeth wasn鈥檛 for him. Instead, the major, who also earned a certificate in , wanted to pursue business with a social justice bent.
But before Brennan could do that, he needed to figure out what he was passionate about. What were the issues he cared most about, he asked himself. He kept coming back to oral health.
鈥淚 spent a lot of time wondering why oral health wasn鈥檛 being addressed by NGOs,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here are a million different NGOs, but they鈥檙e all doing medical work. And oral healthcare is an important part of someone鈥檚 overall systemic health.鈥�
From that search, Smiles for the People was born. Brennan calls his new business, which officially launched in February of 2013, a 鈥渟mall, little toothbrush company,鈥� but it鈥檚 really much more than that.
The company works like this: a consumer buys a Smiles for the People bamboo toothbrush and Brennan鈥檚 company gives the equivalent dollar value to a partner nonprofit organization that provides dental care to communities in need. It鈥檚 similar to the one-to-one model of giving popularized by TOMS, which donates a pair of shoes for every pair they sell.
But unlike the method used by other one-to-one enterprises, Smiles for the People doesn鈥檛 give away toothbrushes, unless that鈥檚 what their partner organization needs. Instead, Smiles for the People donates funds to the partner so it can use the money as it sees fit.
鈥淚t鈥檚 giving local ownership to local communities,鈥� Brennan said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 want to manufacture toothbrushes in China and then ship them all over the world.鈥�
Smiles for the People is still in its infancy and as such is working with just one nonprofit partner, Foundation Todos Juntos, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Todos Juntos operates clinics that teach children the importance of dental care and provide preventative check-ups and routine procedures like extractions and root canals. Brennan says his company is growing every quarter and as it does, the goal is to be able to work with more nonprofits around the world.
The Chicago native started Smiles for the People 鈥渙rganically鈥� using his own savings and loans from his family. It was a risk, but it seems to be paying off. So far, his toothbrushes, which are sourced and manufactured using sustainable methods, are sold in more than 90 retail locations around the country. A short-term goal is to get his product in Whole Foods grocery stores, he says.
鈥淚 knew it was sort of a big commitment,鈥� Brennan said of starting his business. 鈥淏ut I had a lot of passion [for] the idea and that counts for a lot.鈥�
Consumers can also find Brennan鈥檚 toothbrushes on his website. One adult-sized toothbrush retails for $5.95, which Brennan admits is a little steep. But each toothbrush is made bamboo, an antimicrobial and biodegradable material, and his products are made by a company who treats its workers fairly by providing a living wage and complying with international labor standards. Plus, the equivalent amount is being given to charity, so consumers can feel good about where the money is going, he says.
Smiles for the People also offers a toothbrush subscription where consumers can get a new toothbrush every three months for a year. It鈥檚 a clever idea, not only because it saves people the hassle of remembering to get a new toothbrush, but it also follows the accepted dental advice to replace toothbrushes every three months.
Once Brennan graduated from Georgetown, he had no idea how much his education would impact his future business decisions. The university taught him to think creatively about big problems and their solutions, he says. Smiles for the People is a perfect example of that.
Brennan also never anticipated that the university鈥檚 value of cura personalis鈥攃are for the whole person鈥攚ould feature so prominently in his business model.
鈥淎 smile is an indicator of your overall health. It鈥檚 an indication of your self-esteem and your ability to take care of yourself and your family,鈥� Brennan said. 鈥淪o by caring for someone鈥檚 smile, we鈥檙e trying to care for the whole person. Being able to have a job that allows me to live out that value is a privilege.鈥�