The Fight Against Periodontal Disease Gets Personal with ARESTIN®’s New Professional Awareness Campaign



I finally got my posters from OraPharma. I placed the posters in the hygiene rooms and they are generating a lot of discussion on periodontal disease and its effects on total health and the roll of antibiotics in treating periodontal disease.MJ



Warminster, PA (April 2, 2008) − OraPharma, Inc., a specialty oral health company dedicated to bringing scientifically and technologically superior products to the dental community, recently launched a professional awareness campaign to reflect that thousands of oral health professionals have adopted comprehensive periodontal therapy including ARESTIN® (minocycline hydrochloride) Microspheres, 1 mg plus scaling and root planing (SRP) as part of their personal standard of care for the treatment of periodontal disease.
The campaign titled, MY PERSONAL STANDARD OF CARE TM, highlights the clinical decisions that oral health professionals make every day when diagnosing and treating their adult patients. These choices are becoming even more important with the growing body of research indicating that periodontal disease can have a serious impact on oral health and potentially overall health, which is changing how many oral health professionals define their personal standard of care.1
The campaign also emphasizes the latest clinical research indicating that the use of the locally administered antibiotic, ARESTIN®, in conjunction with SRP, is more effective in improving patient outcomes by eradicating oral pathogens and reducing inflammation, resulting in significant improvement to several oral health indicators, such as pocket depth, bleeding on probing, and clinical attachment level, more so than SRP alone.2
“OraPharma is reinforcing its strong alliance with dentists and hygienists in the battle against periodontal disease,” said John Lenart, Senior Product Director, ARESTIN®. “We are well-armed in this ongoing battle thanks to compelling recent clinical studies proving the efficacy of ARESTIN® as an adjunct to SRP. The science behind this data is driving our patient communication and clinician education programs so the risks of untreated periodontal disease are clearly communicated, accurate diagnosis takes place, and comprehensive treatment that includes the use of a locally administered antibiotic such as ARESTIN® continues to be widely adopted by clinicians and accepted by patients.”
OraPharma is investing heavily in dental and hygiene print and online trade publications with a series of ads featuring the theme, “I Take it Personally.” The ads feature images of dentists and hygienists explaining their commitment to providing their patients with their personal standard of care, which includes the use of ARESTIN® as an adjunct to SRP for pocket depth reduction, which is accomplished by eradication of bacteria, as well as the inflammation associated with periodontal disease.3
During the recent Chicago Midwinter Meeting, OraPharma introduced a new booth promotion where dentists and hygienists were invited to sit for a digital portrait that would be used to create a poster-size version of the “I Take it Personally” ads. The completed posters were sent to participating clinicians’ offices a short time after the Midwinter Meeting. “Seeing your dentists or hygienists on a poster in the waiting room is bound to motivate patients to ask questions,” explained Lenart. “What a great way to encourage earlier diagnosis and increased patient acceptance of one of the most effective treatments for periodontal disease currently available.”
References:
1. US Department of Health and Human Services. First-ever surgeon general’s report on oral health finds profound disparities in nation’s population. Available at: http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/news/pressreleases/pr_oral_52000.htm. Accessed December 11, 2007.
2. Goodson JM, Gunsolley JC, Grossi SG, et al. Minocycline HCl microspheres reduce red-complex bacteria in periodontal disease therapy. J Periodontol 2007; 78(8):1568-1579.
3. Williams RC, Paquette DW, Offenbacher S, et al. Treatment of periodontitis by local administration of minocycline microspheres: a controlled trial. J Periodontol 2001; 72:1535-1544.

About OraPharma, Inc.

OraPharma, Inc. is a specialty pharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, and commercializes therapeutics for the treatment of periodontal disease at various phases of progression. ARESTIN® (minocycline hydrochloride) Microspheres, 1 mg (www.arestin.com) is indicated as an adjunct to scaling and root planing procedures for reduction of pocket depth in patients with adult periodontitis. OSSIX™ PLUS™ (resorbable collagen membrane) is used in guided bone regeneration (GBR) and guided tissue regeneration (GTR) procedures. For more information about OraPharma and its products, visit www.orapharma.com.

About ARESTIN®

ARESTIN® (minocycline hydrochloride) Microspheres, 1 mg is indicated as an adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP) procedures for reduction of pocket depth in patients with adult periodontitis. ARESTIN® may be used as part of a periodontal maintenance program which includes good oral hygiene and scaling and root planing.

ARESTIN® contains minocycline, a tetracycline derivative, and therefore should not be used in children and pregnant or nursing women. The use of drugs of the tetracycline class during tooth development may cause permanent discoloration of the teeth.

The most common treatment-emergent adverse events were headache (9.0%), infection (7.6%), flu syndrome (5.0%), and pain (4.3%). These occurred at a similar rate to SRP and SRP + placebo.

ARESTIN®, OSSIX™ PLUS™ and MY PERSONAL STANDARD OF CARE™ are trademarks of OraPharma, Inc.

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