“Gerald Moyer, co-inventor of the oral irrigator, works on his invention with one of Water Pik’s early engineers.” (From the Fort Collins Archive – #H25265)
The Briggs building, at the corner of Oak and Mason, used to house several medical professionals, including a dentist by the name of Gerald Moyer. Dr. Moyer had an idea one day for a electrically powered device that would shoot a small stream of water into a person’s mouth and clean out any debris that was stuck between the teeth and gums. He wasn’t entirely sure how to create such a device, however, so he proposed the idea to one of his patients, John Mattingly, an engineer.
“John Mattingly, inventor of the original Water Pik oral irrigator.” (From the Fort Collins Archive – #H25257)
As they worked together to develop a syringe-like device, they pulled in another dentist that worked in the same building, Dr. Thomas W. Bennett. Together they developed a tool that was first sold under the name Aqua Tec in 1962. The company later came to be known as Water Pik.
As the trio worked to perfect the device, they asked patients to test it out and give feedback. One of these testers was one of Dr. Moyer’s patients, Gene Rouse, who was so thrilled with the device when he tested it out that he financially backed the company to help give it a jump start. (He’d probably be called an Angel Investor today.) Thomas Bennett was also a financial backer (as were other members of his family).
Dr. Bennett’s daughter, Polly, was the first print ad model in 1962. As she recounts, “I was using the WaterPik over a sink in Gene and Betty Rouse’s bathroom. I was in second grade, and was paid in WaterPik stock.”
Gene Rouse, first president of Water Pik. (Photo from the Fort Collins Archive – #H25271)
Interestingly enough, Moyer wasn’t the first person to think of using a stream of water to clean teeth. A former Larimer County Dental Society president, Clarence D. Matteson, took out a patent for a Hydraulic Dental Syringe on April 8, 1958, years before Moyer and Mattingly began their work that eventually led to the Water Pik.
Matteson was honored for his contribution in the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery’s FC150 display in 2014-2015.
Based on the dates that patents were filed, it certainly looks like Matteson was the true inventor of what was later developed into the Water Pik of today. Did Moyer steal Matteson’s idea? Some believe so. But you won’t find Matteson’s name listed in any of the history’s published by the Water Pik company.
Thanks to Penny Mueller Brown for pointing out the connection between the Briggs building and the origins of Water Pik.
And thank you to Polly Bennett, who filled in information about her family’s involvement, especially that of her father, Thomas W. Bennett, DDS.
Anyone who believes “Did Moyer steal Matteson’s idea?” doesn’t know the history. Matteson’s device shot a continuous stream of water from a device hooked up to a water faucet. My father, John W. Mattingly, created a pulsating device that was stand alone. Quite different from the one Matteson came up with. My father’s patent is for the pulsation, not the continuous stream of water.
Thanks, David!
My father, Vic Deines, built a house for Dr. Moyer about the time things were taking off. Dad was offered WaterPic stock for some of the payment on his house but declined because at that time the money was needed and not stock. He often wondered how things would have been different if he had accepted.
Hi Robb. Your father, Vic Deines, built the first home for our family in Fort Collins in 1953 and I am guessing the last home too with reference to the stock trade. My father and mother highly praised your father’s construction abilities! With regards to the stock: As an example, my maternal grandmother invested $1,000.00 in 1960 in Water Pik stock and when she passed away in 1965 it was sold for $5,000.00. The value would have increased had it been sold after the acquisition by Teledyne, Inc.
Thank you, David! My father, Dr. Gerald M. Moyer, DDS, was the son of a Methodist minister and worked full time putting himself through Kansas City Western Dental College. He received his DDS Degree in 1940, and was among only five students in his graduating class of 46 to be inducted into the honor society, Omicron Kappa Upsilon. Dr. Moyer first practiced dentistry in Independence, Missouri and opened his dental office in Fort Collins, Colorado in 1952. Our family settled in our new home in 1953. My father had been studying the health of his patients gums all through the years. When I had braces put on my teeth in 1954 and had problems keeping my teeth clean, my father started working all his spare time in his workshop to develop a device to help with the issue. He was aware of water related faucet-type attachments, but he felt that a superior product would be run by a motor to produce the optimum amount of pressure and flow to do the job. He was unsuccessful in finding motor companies in the Denver area who could develop a product small enough, so he tried to develop one himself. In 1958, my father turned to John Mattingly, a friend, a patient, and, as luck should have it, a hydraulic engineer at Colorado State University. Over several years their time was devoted to the development of the irrigator. John Mattingly made 145 pistons that did not work, but on the 146th try he was successful. The water came out pulsating and that was not the original plan. Sometimes things happen for the best. They settled for the pulsating option because they could get a patent based on the pulsating frequency. I remember the conversations about what to name the device and the name Water Pik was chosen as it was similar to “tooth pick”. By 1961 they had 30 handmade irrigators and my father began loaning them to his patients. The corporation was formed in 1962. They attended dental conventions, promoting the irrigator, in various U.S. locations. In 1963 their first consumer ad was in Life magazine. In 1967 their company was acquired by Teledyne, Inc., and was later known as Teledyne Water Pik. The statement that “Clarence D. Matteson, took out a patent on April 8, 1958, and YEARS before Moyer and Mattingly began their work that eventually led to the Water Pik” is a false statement along with the idea that my father stole Matteson’s idea. A retraction would certainly be in order.
Penny Mueller Brown was my neighbor at our first Fort Collins home and we shared our love for horses and watching Disneyland on television together, among other things.
Hello Dave. I hope you are well. I remember your telling me about your dad in 1966. You had a water pik if I remember and lived across the hall from me at Principa. I’m a retired mechanical engineer so this kind of thing intrigues me.
Best
Chuck
My uncle, Chuck Laidlaw, spent his entire working career (about 40 years) working for Aqua Tec/Water Pik.
I have a Water Pik 76M and looking for a white replacement hose. Mine developed a crack and leaked. Can you locate a hose for me? I cut off cracked portion of the hose upstream of the leak then reattach it so not to spray water all over bathroom. Water Pik’s repair dept. can not help me. The device still works great!
My Dad was a dentist, he gave me my first WP when I was young teen, I’m 80 now.
Thank You.