Volume 8 • 2021 • Issue 5

Watch Ciara Halton and Amelia Conlon Batey discuss their research project: vimeo.com/545222983 “W e asked the question: do patients think about or possibly prioritize sustainability when purchasing one of the most basic home oral hygiene products: the toothbrush?” says Halton. She and her fellow researchers gathered information that included a broad public sample so that their data could be used to counter assumptions that people will usually buy the least expensive option. “We used a discrete choice experiment,” says Conlon Batey. “We chose this method because it most accurately depicts the real life decisions a consumer would be making in the supermarket or wherever they buy a toothbrush.” After conducting a literature review, the group made a long list of possible attributes that might affect the decision-making process. After consulting a panel of experts, they created six choice cards (see Fig.1 ) that presented two options that participants had to choose between. Their online survey was completed by 326 participants, with an equal age and geographic distribution throughout Ireland. “The results showed that people want sustainable handle materials and recyclable packaging, and they are willing to pay more for them,” says Halton. The research even provided information about how much people were willing to pay for different sustainable items. “A bamboo handle is valued at more than €5 [or $7.50 CDN] more than a regular one,” says Halton. “People are willing to pay more than €2 [or $3.00 CDN] for recyclable packaging and a similar amount for a handle made of recycled plastic.” Student Research: How Much Do People Value Sustainability? InApril, a group of dental students fromTrinity CollegeDublin— including Ciara Halton andAmelia Conlon Batey—received the 2021 Irish Dental Association Costello Medal for their research into consumer preferences related to toothbrushes. “We had a feeling that peoplewanted sustainable toothbrushes, so the biggest surprise was the willingness to pay for them,” says Conlon Batey. “People are willing to pay more than these items currently cost.” “Some aspects of dentistry are more difficult to make sustainable,” says Halton. “But there is an increasing market for home oral hygiene products that are sustainable. As dentists, we can make a difference by recommending these items.” Toothbrush Attribute Option A Option B Cost €2.00 €8.50 Handle Material Recyclable Plastic Bamboo Bristle Texture Extra Soft Soft-medium Battery Powered No Yes Bristle Length Variable Same Length Packaging Recyclable No Yes (L. to r.): Ciara Halton and Amelia Conlon Batey. Figure 1: An example of one of the “choice cards” used in the study. 25 Issue 5 | 2021 | Issues and People