OraPharma renews student access program, launches professional affairs team
OraPharma, Inc., a specialty oral health company dedicated to bringing scientifically and technologically superior products to the dental community, including Arestin® (minocycline hydrochloride) Microspheres, 1 mg, recently expanded its commitment to providing educational support and training to dental and hygiene communities by renewing the Arestin Student Access Program and by creating a new Professional Affairs Team to provide field support and instructor training for the program.
The Arestin Student Access Program launched last year as the result of discussion and collaboration between OraPharma and the directors of leading dental and hygiene schools. According to Arestin Senior Product Director John Lenart, "Our mutual goal was to develop a program that would provide educational programming and hands-on training so that senior dental and hygiene students can appropriately incorporate locally administered antibiotics like Arestin as part of a comprehensive periodontal disease treatment protocol."
During the 2007-2008 school year, 130 dental and dental hygiene schools and 3,146 dental and dental hygiene students participated in the Arestin Student Access Program. A recent follow-up survey* of participating hygiene school educators and students validated the importance of this program, and reinforced the need for OraPharma to continue it for a second consecutive year.
The survey polled dental hygiene instructors and students who participated in the Arestin Student Access Program in order to assess its impact and relevance on the curriculum and post-graduation practice. For example:
• 73.3% of responding dental hygiene instructors and 56.5% of responding dental hygiene students said they perceive Arestin as being essential to treating periodontal disease.
• 86% of responding dental hygiene instructors and 57% of responding dental hygiene students said it was easy or very easy for them to administer Arestin.
• 47.1% of responding dental hygiene instructors and 54.8% of responding dental hygiene students said hands-on training with Arestin was the most helpful training element in the curriculum.
• 86.3% of responding dental hygiene instructors said they were likely or very likely to participate in the Arestin Student Access Program next year.
Enrollment in the 2008-2009 program is open from June 2008 to September 2008, and is open to all accredited two- or four-year dental and dental hygiene schools that include instruction on the use of Arestin as part of a comprehensive Periodontal Treatment Protocol. Participating dental and hygiene schools will receive the following Arestin Student Access Program materials:
• Arestin Trial Kits containing Arestin cartridges for clinical use by each participating student.
• Instructor Education Kits containing valuable clinical and patient resources regarding periodontal therapy and Arestin, as well as educational content for classroom lectures and demonstration product to ensure each student is able to practice placing Arestin prior to treating patients.
• Student Education Kits including valuable clinical and patient education resources regarding periodontal therapy and Arestin, as well as a complimentary Arestin-branded Hu-Friedy Colorvue® periodontal probe.**
• The ability to order discounted Arestin handles ($32.00 each) for all participating senior students.
The newly formed Professional Affairs Team will provide enhanced support and introduce additional academic programs to dental and hygiene schools. This team will also provide best practices training and education for course directors in schools participating in the Arestin Student Access Program.
"The Arestin Student Access Program ensures that Arestin will continue to be widely available for clinical use by all dental and hygiene school students. Today's students represent the next generation of oral health professionals," explained Lenart. "It's important that they have training and experience with the most common periodontal disease options upon graduation."
Dental and hygiene school faculty who wish to participate in the Arestin Student Access Program, or require more information, are invited to contact the OraPharma Customer Service Center at 1-866-ARESTIN (273-7846).
* Survey on file.
** Dental and Hygiene schools in the state of Minnesota are not eligible to receive the Hu-Friedy Colorvue® periodontal probe.
