Enamelon Marketing Efforts to Target Dentists

Enamelon, Inc. (Cranbury, NJ), maker of oral care products that use "remineralization" technology, says it's refocusing its marketing efforts to target the dental community.

By increasing dental professionals' awareness of the Enamelon remineralization technology, the company intends to increase the number of dentists and hygienists recommending its product, according to a company press release.

The uniqueness of the product "is something the professional community can fully appreciate and understand," says Edwin Diaz, Enamelon vice president-Finance & CFO, citing clinical studies of the technology.

The company also says it plans to confine its research and development expenditures primarily to obtaining the American Dental Association's seal of approval for its all-family toothpaste and continuing clinical studies of its remineralization technology. Enamelon will submit its application for the seal in from one to six months, according to Diaz.

Enamelon, according to the company, is the first fluoride dentifrice to enhance the remineralizing activity of sodium fluoride with soluble calcium and phosphate ions to strengthen tooth enamel.

For the latest four-week period which ended May 15, Enamelon's dollar share of the $1.6 billion toothpaste category was a combined 2.3% in food and drug stores, as reported by A.C. Nielsen scan data.

Dr. Steven R. Fox, CEO and chairman of the board, stated "We are taking decisive and determined actions to redirect and dedicate the full resources and energies of the company to efficiently promote our Enamelon all-family toothpaste and Enamelon Calcium Whitening System toothpaste, while reducing our costs at the same time." With the company's revised marketing strategy and research and development program, Enamelon says it will reduce staff from 50 employees to approximately 30 employees.