What Is VOHC? Understanding the Veterinary Oral Health Council and What They Do

There are various product options when it comes to dog and cat dental care. 

The number of these products has increased steadily over time to include pet toothpastes, water additives, treats, and even dental rinses. Having such a large demand for pet dental care makes sense when knowing as many as 93% of dogs and 88% of cats over the age of 3 years have some degree of tooth or gum disease.  

Gum disease and dental disease are serious health concerns for our cats and dogs, so it’s important to know which products stand out among the pack as most effective at reducing plaque and tartar buildup.  

The Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) was founded to set standards for these products, giving a seal of acceptance to certain products that pet parents can easily spot while shopping for ways to keep their pet’s teeth and gums healthy.  

What Is the Veterinary Oral Health Council?

The VOHC was founded in 1997 with a sponsorship from the American Veterinary Dental College after several years of discussion among industry experts about the need for an objective way to evaluate and recognize excellence in the increasing number of dental products for pets. 

The VOHC is an organization of volunteer veterinarians, including board-certified veterinary dentists and other veterinary dental experts.  

These experts give a seal of acceptance to products scientifically proven to reduce plaque and tartar by at least 20% in two sets of clinical trials conducted by the companies seeking the VOHC Seal.  

Does the VOHC Conduct Trials? 

While the VOHC itself does not do trials on pet dental care products, it does serve as a body of experts who analyze scientific research and allow a visual cue of quality (the VOHC Seal) to be put on products. 

This makes it easier for both pet parents and veterinarians to choose products that will help pets in the control of plaque, tartar, or both (called a “dual designation”).  

Without the VOHC review process, pet parents could be easily confused by the number of products available for purchase and the amount of research needed to figure out which products are truly safe and effective.  

Additionally, the VOHC review helps general practice veterinarians decide upon the best dental care products to recommend for their patients.  

What Does the Veterinary Oral Health Council Do?

The VOHC’s main responsibility is to review applications for the VOHC Seal from manufacturers based on data from their independent trials.  

Before trials begin, manufacturers will send a form explaining their trial protocol to the VOHC, which will review the trial protocol and answer any questions a manufacturer might have about the process.  

Once the trials are complete, the manufacturer will turn in data to the VOHC, along with samples of the product and a submission fee. The VOHC relies on “mean mouth scores” (the level of plaque and tartar seen on the teeth between test groups and before and after the trial) and gingivitis (gum inflammation or swelling) scores to check claims that products reduce plaque, tartar, or both.  

Through this thorough assessment process, the VOHC allows both veterinarians and pet parents to easily figure out which products are of higher quality and also increases the amount of research being done on oral health products for pets.  

What Is the VOHC Seal?

The VOHC Seal is a special designation given to products from manufacturers who have done two sets of clinical trials and found at least a 20% reduction in plaque and/or tartar in test subjects.  

Because the criteria for awarding the VOHC Seal are so strict, the established standard ensures that only the best products get the seal, helping higher-quality products stand out from the rest.  

When products are given the VOHC Seal, they will be labeled with either of two categories—Helps Control Plaque, Helps Control Tartar—or both: 

• Helps Control Plaque means that plaque buildup (a soft, sticky film of bacteria) is reduced by 20% or more.  

• Helps Control Tartar means that tartar buildup (the hardened form of plaque when it’s not removed) is reduced by at least 20%. 

Generally speaking, these products need to be as good as the mechanical action of brushing to meet these criteria.  

What Is the VOHC Review Process?

To be given the VOHC Seal for a particular product, manufacturers must go through a process involving clinical trials and data submission to the VOHC for review. The VOHC review process includes: 

Product Sponsor 

First, the product sponsor (the manufacturer) must turn in a Pre-Trial Protocol Form explaining how it will test how well its product works. The manufacturer will also fund the trial and send the final data, statements, and fees to the VOHC.  

Trial Site Owner or Official 

The trial site owner/official is an individual who will organize the clinical trials in either a laboratory animal facility or a veterinary clinic, where the scaling and scoring procedures will be done. The product sponsor and trial site owner/official can be the same company.  

Seal 

The VOHC Accepted Seal will be given to products that meet the designated criteria for control of plaque, tartar, or both, after conducting both sets of clinical trials and getting approval from the VOHC.  

Chemical Agent Policy 

When selecting chemical agents to use in its product, a manufacturer must make sure that the product will not cause harm to an animal (no increase in gingivitis) and that it is either generally regarded as safe (also called GRAS) or reviewed and accepted as safe by the FDA if it is a new chemical. For newer chemicals, the manufacturer must send its safety history to the VOHC with the rest of the application.  

Two Trials Requirement 

The manufacturer must set up two trials for its product. This is to make sure that the results are repeatable and that the product consistently works as well as the manufacturer claims.  

Types of Trials 

A manufacturer may use two types of trials when testing its product, cross-over or parallel: 

• Parallel trials involve two different groups of animals getting either treatment with the product or a control procedure (a control procedure means the animal gets no treatment or only tooth brushing). 

• Cross-over trials involve using the same group of animals in two phases of the trial, such as no treatment or just brushing during the first half and the manufacturer’s product in the second half.  

• Cross-over trial phases must be at least 28 days long and separated by at least seven days between each phase. The results of the two trials will then be included in the final application packet that is sent to the VOHC for review.  

Once the review process has been completed, the manufacturer will find out if its product got the VOHC seal.  

Popular VOHC-Approved Dog Dental Care Products

Popular VOHC-Approved Cat Dental Care Products

Keeping Your Pet’s Dental Care Top of Mind

The best way to maintain pet’s dental health is with brushing—at least every other day but ideally daily.  

Aside from brushing, you can also use a variety of dental chews, treats, rinses, and water additives to support good oral hygiene for your pups.  

Look for the VOHC Seal of Acceptance on any pet dental care product to make sure it has the highest quality and efficacy.  

It’s always best to work with your vet to find the best dog or cat dental product depending on what your pet needs.