3M ESPE Donates Sealant and Varnish to Oral Health America Programs

February 5, 2008

CHICAGO—OMNI Preventive Care, now part of 3M ESPE Dental Products, is the donor of 30,000 applications of Vanish™ 5% Sodium Fluoride White Varnish to Oral Health America (OHA), the advocacy organization said today. The generous donation supports OHA's Smiles Across America and National Sealant Alliance programs, helping communities build infrastructure for school oral health services.

“OMNI Preventive Care is responding to many requests we've had from our program partners for fluoride varnish,” said Sue Dodd, OHA's Director of Programs. “As our programs reach new regions of the country, we understand that assistance can come in many forms. Product donations, such as those from OMNI Preventive Care, allow local entities to leverage existing resources and reach more children without routine access to dental care. On behalf of our partners, we are tremendously grateful for their support.”

In addition to providing 30,000 applications of fluoride varnish, OMNI is working with its Preventive Care Consultants to provide training and product support to local programs. The first shipments of free fluoride varnish are being sent to the Free Clinic of Simi Valley Dental Program, Simi Valley , CA , Just Kids Dental Health, Two Harbors , MN , and Children's Dental Health Services, Rochester , MN . Many other locations will benefit from the donation.

“We are very excited to continue our involvement with Oral Health America and this program that expands access to care for uninsured and underinsured children,” said Kevin Thomas, 3M ESPE.

3M ESPE has been a significant donor of its Clinpro™ brand of dental sealant to Oral Health America since 1998. Smiles Across America currently serves eight regions of the country, bringing technical assistance and resources to school oral health programs. The National Sealant Alliance provides donated dental materials, including dental sealants and fluoride varnish, to hundreds of community health programs nationwide. Together, the programs support services to over 90,000 children annually and help communities respond to unmet oral health needs.

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3M ESPE manufactures and markets more than 2,000 products and services designed to help dental professionals improve their patients' oral health care. 3M Health Care, one of 3M's six major business segments, provides worldclass innovative products and services to help health care professionals improve the practice, delivery and outcome of patient care in medical, oral care, drug delivery and health information markets. For more information on the complete 3M ESPE line of dental products, visit the 3M ESPE Web site at www.3MESPE.com or call the 3M ESPE Customer Care Hotline at 1-800-634-2249. Products are available for purchase through authorized 3M ESPE distributors.

3M, ESPE, OMNI Clinpro and Vanish are trademarks of 3M or 3M ESPE AG.

Contact: Liz Rogers, (207) 771-8824 or liz@oralhealthamerica.org

Oral Health America is the nation's premier, independent advocacy organization dedicated to improving oral health for all Americans.