Editor's note
It would appear that support and compatibility for the Smart Guide is being phased out by Oral-B.
This means fewer new brushes now and in the future will work with it.
The latest firmware installed on brushes at the time of production (version 13 and above) no longer allows the brush to connect to the Smart Guide.
We are aware of this affecting primarily D700/D701 brush handles. This includes, but not limited to, models such as Genius 6000, 8000, 9000, 8900, 9600, 10,000 Smart 6 6000.
It is likely more models will be affected in time.
If you have any additional feedback or insight, please do share this in the comments section.
If you have been looking at electric toothbrushes it is quite possible you may have come across brushes from Oral-B which include a SmartGuide.
You may have found it difficult to really understand what a wireless smart guide is and what it does, there is not a great amount of detailed content on this accessory.
Let us help take some of the mystery away and explain what it is.
What is a Wireless SmartGuide?
The smartguide is a compact digital unit powered by 2 x AAA batteries that has been designed to placed in your bathroom.
It is essentially a visual tutor that encourages and guides you to do a better job when it comes to cleaning your teeth.
Acting as as a clock when not in use; but when you switch on one of Oral-B’s Bluetooth enabled brushes (no complicated pairing process required), the display is triggered and shows a timer and visual indicator. It provides real time feedback to you as you use the brush.
This timer counts up, how long you have been brushing your teeth for whilst showing what quadrant of the mouth you should be in.
It will also show the cleaning mode you are on via a symbol at the top of the display.
The principle behind it is to be a tool to you as you clean your teeth, to do so for the correct amount of time in total whilst spending the correct time on each quadrant and generally cleaning your teeth better.
A face appears within the quadrant guide with either a smile or a sad face depending on your performance. Brush too hard and you get a sad face. Brush for 2 minutes get a happy face.
As you complete each quadrant a star appears at the bottom of the display. When all 4 quadrants are complete, 4 stars show.
Oral-B demonstrate and explain this themselves in their very own video below.
Different versions of the SmartGuide
There have been 2 different versions of the Smart Guide developed by Oral-B over time.
They work in a similar way and achieve a similar result, but the current model is more compact and reliable.
It is this newer more compact variant that we refer to throughout this article.
Part code: 3742
It is available in both White and Silver color options.
It is our understanding that there are different variants of the 3742. Each has slightly different part codes, the latter being labeled with a ‘B’ on the plastic ridge between the 2 battery slots under the back cover.
The older, larger variant has part code: 3741 and looks as per the image below.
This was supplied with what would now be considered my older Oral-B brushes that are no longer produced or sold. This 3741 variant does not work with newer brushes.
Which brushes have a SmartGuide
At the time of writing the brushes that come supplied with or work with a wireless smartguide are.
- Pro 7000
SmartGuide compatible brushes
Not all SmartGuide compatible brushes come with a guide included in the box, in fact only the Pro 7000 does.
But, despite not coming with a Smart Guide in the box, many of the Bluetooth enabled models work with the latest 3472 variant of the SmartGuide.
What are the brushes you can use with the Smart Guide?
They are:
- Pro 3000
- Pro 6000 - See editors note & top of post
- Pro 6500 - See editors note & top of post
- Pro 7500 - See editors note & top of post
- Genius Pro 8000
- Genius 9600
Providing the brush you are trying to use with it is made by Oral-B, has Bluetooth connectivity and you have the latest 3742 variant (stamped with a B inside) then you should be good to go, bar a couple of exceptions listed below. There (in theory) is no complicated pairing process. Just power the brush on and the wireless guide will begin tracking your clean.
Brushes not compatible with the wireless SmartGuide
- Oral-B Genius X
- Oral-B iO Series
- Oral-B Sense
- Oral-B Guide
Buy a Wireless SmartGuide
If your electric toothbrush does not come with a Wireless SmartGuide, but you would like one, the good news is you can buy one as a separate accessory.
You can purchase them from Braun.
Whilst you need a compatible brush, if more than one person in the household has a brush you can actually program the smartguide to work with up to 2 different brush handles.
It works with more than 1 brush handle
To do so, follows these steps.
- Push the «h/min» button in the battery compartment for at least 3 seconds.
- When SmartGuide shows «L—», turn on your brush handle to start the synchronization process.
- When finished the SmartGuide will show «L-1-» on the display. Turn off the handle.
- To assign a second handle to the same SmartGuide turn on the other handle until «L-2-» is displayed. After having synchronized the second handle, «Full» will be displayed.
- Exit the synchronization mode by pressing the «h/min» or «set» button, otherwise, it will end automatically after 30 seconds.
Do you know how much time there is until a display with the maximum number of stars (5, I believe) diminishes to the minimum (1, it seems). I am guessing it takes 24 hours for a full bank of stars to disappear, one-by-one, until there is just 1. The reason I am asking is so that I can determine if I missed brushing my teeth last night (I think I forgot to brush). But I do know that I brushed yesterday morning before work. Thank you kindly in advance for your answer!
Hi Dan. In all honesty I do not know the answer to this question. Maybe Oral-B would be able to advise themselves. I don't recall ever seeing information about this.
My smart guide will not work with my toothbrush. The smart guide came with the black and white 7000 electric toothbrush.
So your brush Fred is the Pro 7000? You got the smart guide at the same time as you got the toothbrush itself? Have you tried following the steps to connect as above? Perhaps try pressing the power button for 10 seconds to reset the brush handle and see if that then allows them to connect.
Perhaps try pressing the power button for 10 seconds to reset the brush handle and see if that then allows them to connect. I did that and it did connected!!!! Thanks!!!!!
I just upgraded my old Oral-b Triumph to a new GENIUS as the case was wearing out. What a quality product, I’ve had it for around 15 years. What I’m not happy about is the Genius won’t part with my existing Smart Guide monitor, and after reading your article I now know why. Although I embrace new technology, I’m not in favor of using my cell phone to brush my teeth and very disappointed that Oral-B has dropped the ability to connect to my Smart Guide. Should anybody is keeping track of users who would like P&G to update this function please add my name. The Alexia charging base looks like interesting option however it’s WAY overprices! Very, very unhappy.
Why is there a blinking bar on the lower left of my clock?
I suspect this might be the battery icon telling you that the batteries need replacing Ginny. If you replace them does it go away?
My 3762 will no longer sync to the 3742 Smart Guide. The new 3767 hijacked it. I tried to get the second L2 to register it but it does not seem to be able to find it. Any suggestions?
Hi Jack. Try pressing and holding the power button for 10 seconds on the toothbrush and see if this then allows the 3762 model to connect again.
Tried this but it didn’t work. I left the batteries out for 2 days to make sure the power had dissipated. I tried it again 3 or 4 times but it still will not connect.
Sorry to hear this Jack. Probably worth getting in contact with Oral-B to see if they have any suggestions.
I have just purchased a Oral-B Genius 9000 CrossAction Electric Toothbrush. I also have the latest model (variant B) of the Oral-B SmartGuide that I used on my previous Oral-B toothbrush. The first time I used my new toothbrush it worked perfectly with the SmartGuide. It has now stopped working with the SmartGuide. I have tried to synchronize the two using your instructions but after the SmartGuide shows «L—» it remains in this state and the «L-1-» is not displayed. I really like using the SmartGuide and would very much like to get it to work with my new toothbrush. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks and regards, Mike Wilder
Hi Mike. Have you also begun using the smartphone application with the Genius 9000?
My smart guide no longer works when I turn my toothbrush on. The time is displayed but it doesn’t do anything else
Hi Pamela. Sorry to hear this. Presumably, you have tried removing and replacing the batteries?
My smart guide died this AM. Four months old. Worked while brushing teeth then went dark. Bought new batteries. Still dark. Tried holding button down. Still dark. My old one that is maybe 8 years old! Toothbrush died but clock is still working! And of course I don’t have sales receipt. Is this a common problem?
Hi Sue. I have not heard of it being a common problem. I would suggest speaking to Oral-B or going back to the company who sold you the Smart Guide to see if they can help.