Hispanic Dental Association, GlaxoSmithKline Announce Partnership

Agreement reflects shared commitment to optimizing oral health of the Hispanic community; supporting Hispanic dental professionals

CHICAGO — (May 23, 2006) — The Hispanic Dental Association (HDA) today announced a partnership agreement with GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare (GSK) to support the continued education of Hispanic dental professionals through various events and joint activities. In addition, the partnership will promote good oral health in the growing Hispanic community through improved prevention, treatment and patient education. HDA is an organization dedicated to providing service, leadership and advocacy for the Hispanic oral health community,

Partnership activities will kick off during the RDH Under One Roof conference, to be held July 26-28, 2006, in Las Vegas. GSK will host 50 HDA hygiene students at the Student Focus Symposium portion of the conference. A GSK-sponsored event, Under One Roof supports continuing education for dental hygienists, providing attendees with the opportunity to receive up to 21 continuing education (CE) credits. In addition, hygienists can attend valuable seminars and workshops to broaden their knowledge, further develop their skills, and network with other dental professionals.

In addition, HDA student members will have the opportunity to apply for four GSK-sponsored scholarships. Two dental students and two hygiene students will each receive $2,000 to fund the research and development of programs supporting dental education among the Hispanic community. Participation in programs that facilitate oral health education helps students fulfill CE community service requirements, as well. Students can learn more about the scholarship and apply online at www.hdassoc.org.

GSK will expand its presence at HDA's Annual Meeting planned for Nov. 2-4, 2006, continuing its sponsorship of a Lunch & Learn event. This year's lunch will address the growing problem of dentin hypersensitivity, including common triggers and effective treatment options. Hispanics represent 15 percent of dentin hypersensitivity sufferers in the U.S.—however, less than nine percent treat their pain with a desensitizing toothpaste, compared to 22 percent of total sufferers.

"By providing Hispanic dental professionals with bilingual patient resources and opportunities for furthering their knowledge of critically important oral care issues, GlaxoSmithKline has demonstrated its commitment to the Hispanic dental community," said HDA President Mario E. Ramos, DDS. "This partnership will allow our members to provide the highest quality oral care and patient education to the communities they serve."

"We look forward to working with the Hispanic Dental Association as they encourage Hispanic students to pursue oral health careers and work to improve the oral health of the Hispanic community," said Ellen R. Guritzky, RDH, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare. "This partnership is an extension of our mission to help people do more, feel better and live longer."