Headquartered in Noblesville, Indiana, Tartar Shield® has spent nearly 20 years advancing the science of pet oral health. Founded on a belief that daily dental care should be effective, accessible, and grounded in clinical rigor, the company offers a complete line of at-home preventive dental solutions—including its flagship Soft Rawhide Dental Chews, toothpaste, water additives, food toppers, and crunchy treats for both dogs and cats. Every product is developed to meet real-world challenges with formulations backed by research, trusted by veterinarians, and loved by pets.
Turning a Chronic Compliance Gap Into Daily Success
More than 80 percent of dogs over age 3 and 70 percent of cats over age 2 already show signs of periodontal disease, yet fewer than one in 10 pet parents manage to brush their pet’s teeth every day. The industry has accepted this gap as inevitable; Tartar Shield® refused to. PRO CARE Natural Pet Toothpaste is the first pet toothpaste engineered and clinically proven to meet the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) performance standard, a benchmark of efficacy recognized by veterinary professionals, without a toothbrush.
Breakthrough Chemistry That Fits Real Life
PRO CARE is applied once daily by smearing a small amount along the pet’s gumline. No toothbrush. No struggle. Just daily care that works. Its highly palatable formula is designed to spread with the pet’s tongue and saliva, drawing solely on proven and trusted chemistry to deliver therapeutic benefit. This intuitive method removes the friction that makes daily brushing unachievable for most pet parents, dramatically expanding real-world adoption of preventive oral care.
Gold-Standard Results Without Brushing
In a 28-day randomized, controlled canine study designed according to VOHC standards, PRO CARE demonstrated statistically significant improvements across key indicators of oral health, without the use of brushing or mechanical abrasion. The formulation was well-tolerated by all dogs in the trial and was broadly accepted during administration. These early findings exceed the performance thresholds required by VOHC for plaque and tartar reduction, offering strong evidence that PRO CARE works through chemistry alone. A second confirmatory study is underway, with VOHC submission planned for 2025. If accepted, PRO CARE is positioned to become the first toothpaste to earn the Seal of Acceptance without reliance on mechanical delivery.
Rooted in Science, Built for Scale
The PRO CARE formulation uses only natural and nature-derived ingredients that are human-grade, safe to swallow, and selected for antiplaque activity. Its proprietary blend is composed entirely of natural and nature-derived ingredients designed to break down biofilm, suppress plaque-causing bacteria, and reduce odor at the source, without brushing, synthetic foaming agents, or other synthetic additives.
Independent Pilot Data Confirms Competitive Superiority
At the 2024 Veterinary Dental Forum, PRO CARE was presented alongside leading pet toothpastes in a Plaque Glycolysis and Regrowth Model (PGRM) pilot study, a laboratory-based assessment used to simulate real-world plaque regrowth and acid production. In the absence of brushing:
• PRO CARE showed 10% plaque regrowth over 4 hours, vs. 175–204% in competitors
• pH remained buffered near neutral, limiting acidogenic activity linked to gingivitis
Most competitor products, across both retail and veterinary channels—including some of the most widely distributed veterinary and retail brands—performed no better than water alone under these specific in vitro no-brushing conditions, suggesting their effects may be more dependent on mechanical action than formulation chemistry. PRO CARE, by contrast, delivers clinical benefit through formulation alone.
Decades of Scientific Pedigree
The development of PRO CARE was enabled by the company’s roots under Dr. George K. Stookey, a central figure in the early stannous fluoride research that contributed to the development of Crest® toothpaste. He later founded Therametric Technologies (an Indiana-based, leading independent dental research institute) and served on the founding board of the Veterinary Oral Health Council. His legacy of peer-reviewed research and regulatory foresight continues to shape Tartar Shield’s evidence-first ethos.
From Aspiration to Action: Real-World Impact
• For veterinarians: Finally, a home-care option clients can follow with greater ease, reducing disease progression and the frequency of anesthetic dental procedures
• For pet parents: A guilt-free path to daily care that requires 30 seconds, no tools, and can be enjoyed like a treat
• For pets: Measurable reductions in pain, tooth loss, and systemic inflammatory burden linked to oral pathogens
Commercial Readiness
PRO CARE is fully commercial-ready, supported by scalable domestic manufacturing and robust inventory planning. Co-branded education, in-clinic training, and digital awareness campaigns are in development to support launch through veterinary and specialty retail channels. As part of this effort, Tartar Shield is proud to welcome Dr. Emily King, founder of All-Star Veterinary Clinic and host of The Veterinary Roundtable, as its inaugural Veterinary Ambassador.
Clean-Label Leadership
Consumers increasingly demand natural, transparent formulations. PRO CARE contains no artificial colors, foaming agents, animal by-products, peroxide, or synthetic enzymes, and is manufactured in an SQF-certified, FDA-inspected U.S. facility.
A Category-Defining First
If awarded the VOHC Seal of Acceptance, PRO CARE will redefine expectations for home-care protocols. Brushing will remain ideal, but no longer the only evidence-based path. By aligning efficacy with behavioral reality, this innovation can shift preventive dentistry from a recommendation few follow to a routine many can embrace.
Looking Ahead: Continuing a Legacy of Evidence-First Pet Care
For nearly two decades, Tartar Shield has remained steadfast in its commitment to science-driven oral health innovation. As Dr. George K. Stookey’s foundational research continues to influence every product—from Soft Rawhide Dental Chews to PRO CARE—our mission remains clear: to deliver safe, effective, and easy-to-use dental solutions rooted in rigorous clinical validation.
Today, pet owners and veterinarians trust Tartar Shield not merely on the basis of claims but because our products are backed by peer-reviewed studies, undergoing VOHC recognition, and tied to authentic scientific and regulatory heritage. Still proudly 2nd- and 3rd-generation family-owned and operated, the company continues to build on Dr. Stookey’s legacy with a long-term commitment to evidence-first innovation.
Our dental care line is available online through tartarshield.com and widely stocked at central Indiana veterinary clinics, ensuring convenient access whether you’re shopping from home or visiting your local vet.
We believe every pet deserves a clean, healthy smile. Tartar Shield is proud to make that vision an everyday reality—one bite and one brush-free solution at a time. That is innovation with teeth.
References
• American Veterinary Dental College. Periodontal Disease. Accessed June 2025. avdc.org/periodontal-disease
• Logan, E.I. “Periodontal Disease: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.” Journal of Veterinary Dentistry. 2002;19(1):7–13. PMID: 11885288
• Innes, J.F., et al. “Owner Compliance and Clinical Outcomes in a Home-Care Regimen for Canine Periodontal Disease.” Preventive Veterinary Medicine. 2014;113(4):584–591. PMID: 24485742
• American Veterinary Medical Association. Pet Dental Care. Accessed June 2025. avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/petcare/pet-dental-care
