The amplitude control assembly for an oral care appliance includes a capacitance-sensing touch array (26) responsive to the position of a user's touch thereon to change the value of capacitance from the array, as determined by a sensor (30). A control assembly (24), responsive to the change of capacitance, changes an operating characteristic of the drive signal for the appliance, to change the amplitude of motion of a workpiece portion of the oral care appliance.