Alpha-Pro Kids Pack combines gentle, effective polishing and stain removal with child-friendly flavors.
A nice variety of flavor is a must when dealing with children, along with great taste, ease of use and, most importantly, effectiveness. This product accomplished that,? said an Oregon-based hygienist who gave Alpha-Pro Kids Pack an overall rating of very good.
This prophy paste from Dental Technologies is formulated specifically for children, and features a blend of gentle polishing and cleaning agents containing sodium fluoride, a blend of fine and medium grits, and 4 child-friendly flavors in a splatter-free, easy-to-rinse formula.
Patient Reaction
Manufacturer Description: Formulated specifically to be appealing to children, each Alpha-Pro Kids combo pack contains 50 each of 4 flavors: sweet cotton candy, chocorific chocolate, watermelon wonder, and berry-licious.
Evaluator Feedback: Ninety-two percent of the 12 hygienists who evaluated Alpha-Pro cited patient reaction to the prophy paste as the feature they liked most, and the majority commented specifically on taste and/or the variety of flavors. ?The taste was fabulous,? said an Illinois hygienist with 34 years of experience. ?Patients commented without my probing for feedback.? Another hygienist, who reported that ?kids liked the flavor,? went on to note that that the taste ?makes it much easier to use and children do not choke, gag or spit it out during cleanings.? An evaluator who said she would probably purchase the paste and recommend it to colleagues said her patients ?consistently stated that the polishing paste was very good compared to others,? and an hygienist who called the paste much better than similar products said, ?it?s good to finally have some flavors that kids like and do not mind you using.?
With additional comments such as ?they smell fantastic!? 8 evaluators rated patient reaction (flavor and texture) to the paste as excellent. When asked what they?d like to see improved, 2 evaluators said their patients didn?t like the taste of the paste, and a few noted that the individual flavors weren?t labeled. ?It would be nice to have the flavor of each paste on the individual cups,? said a California hygienist who rated all features as excellent.
Splatter Reduction and Ease of Rinsing
Manufacturer Description: Alpha-Pro is formulated to be splatter-free and to rinse easily.
Evaluator Feedback: ?The consistency was soft (some of my coworkers compared it to frosting), but it still held up in the cup and didn?t splatter,? said an evaluator with 26 years of experience. Other comments about splatter ranged from ?less splatter? to ?splatters more than my current brand? and ?this product was messy.? Comments about ease of rinsing were also mixed, with some evaluators noting that it ?rinses off quickly and cleanly,? and others reporting difficulty with rinsing, with remarks such as, ?I had a very hard time rinsing it out. If it becomes easier to rinse it would be great.?
Ease of Use and Polishing Effectiveness
Manufacturer Description: Alpha-Pro contains 1.23% fluoride ion. The paste?s fine to medium grit is designed to gently polish teeth while removing plaque and superficial staining.
Evaluator Feedback: Ten evaluators rated polishing effectiveness as excellent, very good, or good. An evaluator in practice for 43 years called the paste ?very easy to apply,? and an hygienist who said she would probably purchase and recommend Alpha-Pro to colleagues, said, ?I like that it?s a thicker paste and goes on smoothly. One evaluator noted that ?kids? prophy paste should be fine, not medium.?
Overall Satisfaction
Eight evaluators said they would definitely or probably purchase Alpha-Pro and recommend it to their colleagues. Overall satisfaction was rated as excellent, very good, or good by 9 evaluators. ?It was a great toothpaste and was well received by my little patients,? said an Arizona hygienist with 43 years of experience.
