Treats & chews / best of
Best VOHC-accepted dental chews.
The only dental chews whose plaque-and-tartar claim is backed by a Veterinary Oral Health Council seal, ranked on our rubric.
Most treats that say they clean teeth are making a claim no one checked. The Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) is the one exception: brands can submit a product to a standardized plaque-and-tartar protocol, and products that meet the bar earn a Seal of Acceptance. Our rubric gives a dental claim full Claim Honesty credit only when the exact product line is on the VOHC list, and penalizes a 'clinically proven' or 'helps clean teeth' line that has no seal behind it.
That single rule reorders the dental aisle. Popular daily sticks that are not on the list, like the standard US Pedigree Dentastix Original or any antler or rawhide that promises 'dental health', score below seal-backed chews even when they are cheaper. The list below is every VOHC-accepted product we score, ranked by composite. A seal does not make a chew clean: a VOHC chew can still run on by-product meal or carry artificial color, which is why some seal-backed chews still sit in the middle of the ranking.
Brushing remains the gold standard for canine and feline dental care. A VOHC chew is a useful supplement to brushing, not a substitute for it, and it is not a treatment for existing dental disease. As always, scores are our opinion under a published rubric, not veterinary advice.
6 treats
Ranked by PetScored composite.
- Greenies Feline Dental Treats (Salmon)
A VOHC-accepted cat dental treat (verified on the feline list, separate from dogs) at under two calories each; the named chicken meal leads a grain-and-colorant list, but the tartar claim carries the seal.
CatsVOHC-accepted8.8Strong - Virbac C.E.T. VeggieDent FR3SH (Medium)
A VOHC-accepted, plant-based dental chew with calories disclosed and a clean record; the protein is soy rather than a named meat and it costs over a dollar a chew, but the plaque-and-tartar claim is seal-backed.
DogsVOHC-accepted8.6Strong - WHIMZEES Brushzees Dental Treats (Medium)
A VOHC-accepted vegetable dental chew, grain-free with a short recognizable list and disclosed calories; plant-based rather than meat and pricey per chew, but the dental claim carries the seal.
DogsVOHC-accepted8.6Strong - Greenies Greenies Original Regular Dental Treats
A VOHC-accepted dental chew with a clean recall record; the wheat-and-gelatin base is not a named meat and the per-chew cost is high, but the plaque-and-tartar claim is one of the few a treat can actually back.
DogsVOHC-accepted8.5Strong - OraVet Dental Hygiene Chews (Medium)
A VOHC-accepted (tartar) delmopinol chew with a clean record, but the disclosed formula carries titanium dioxide and saccharin, the marketing claims plaque and breath beyond the tartar-only seal, and at over a dollar a chew it is expensive.
DogsVOHC-accepted8.0Good - Purina DentaLife Daily Oral Care (Small/Medium)
VOHC-accepted for tartar and reasonably priced, but the chew is built on rice and chicken by-product meal and preserved with BHA and BHT; the seal backs the claim, the ingredient list does not impress.
DogsVOHC-accepted7.9Good
FAQ
Frequently asked
What does VOHC-accepted mean?
The Veterinary Oral Health Council reviews submitted data against a standardized protocol for reducing plaque and tartar. Products that meet the threshold earn a Seal of Acceptance for that specific claim. It is the only widely recognized, consumer-facing dental-efficacy signal for pet treats, and it is granted per product line, not per brand.
Do dental chews replace brushing?
No. Daily brushing is the gold standard for plaque control. A VOHC-accepted chew is a reasonable supplement, especially for dogs that resist brushing, but it works on the surfaces a chew can reach and does not treat existing periodontal disease. Talk to your veterinarian about a full dental plan.
Why is a popular dental treat not on this list?
Because the exact product line is not on the VOHC Accepted Products list. A brand can have one VOHC-accepted line and several that are not: the US Pedigree Dentastix Original daily stick is not accepted while the Advanced line is, and Milk-Bone's Brushing Chews are accepted while Flavor Snacks are not. Our rubric only credits the line that actually carries the seal.
This ranking is our opinion under a published rubric, not veterinary advice. Affiliate links on individual scorecards never affect the score. See the affiliate disclosure and medical disclaimer.