Robert W. Hutson Explained

Robert William Hutson (June 20, 1919 – May 20, 2001) was an American entrepreneur, inventor, and dentist who is best known for inventing the Oral-B toothbrush.^[1]

Biography

Robert W. Hutson was born on June 20, 1919, in San Luis Obispo County, California.^[2] Hutson was an only child. He grew up in the Watsonville, California area.^[3]

Hutson studied dentistry at the University of California, San Francisco, and graduated in 1943.^[4]

Robert Hutson served in the United States Navy during World War II. Afterwards, he set up a dental practice near the San Jose Hospital. By 1949, he discovered a new way to make a toothbrush that used hundreds of small filaments of nylon to be both strong and gentle on the gums.^[5] Hutson was issued a design patent on October 24, 1950, for the design of the toothbrush^[6] and subsequently gained a full patent in 1958.^[7] Hutson sold the brush business in the 1960s.

He died on May 20, 2001, a month before his 82nd birthday.^{[8] [9]}

References

1. Web site: Toothbrush. National Museum of American History.
2. Web site: Robert W Hutson, Born 06/20/1919 in California CaliforniaBirthIndex.org . 2023-03-19 . www.californiabirthindex.org.
3. Web site: Archives . L. A. Times . 2001-05-30 . Robert W. Hutson; Dentist Designed Oral-B Toothbrush... . 2023-03-19 . Los Angeles Times . en-US.
4. Book: Dentistry, University of California, San Francisco School of . University of California, San Francisco. School of Dentistry Yearbook . 1987 . University of California, San Francisco. School of Dentistry. . en.
5. Web site: Hall . Carl . 2001-05-26 . Dr. Robert W. Hutson -- Oral B originator . 2023-03-19 . SFGATE . en-US.
6. D160604S. Toothbrush. US. 1950-10-24. Hutson. Robert W..
7. US. 2845649. 1958-08-05. Brush. Hutson. Robert W..
8. Web site: Metroactive News & Issues | Metropolis. www.metrosiliconvalley.com.
9. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-may-30-me-4231-story.html