RELATED: Aspen Dental expands role with Patrick | Aspen Dental named ‘Official Dentist of NASCAR’
Five weeks ago, Aspen Dental expanded its backing of Stewart-Haas Racing and driver Danica Patrick by boosting the number of NASCAR races for its primary sponsorship into double digits. Friday, the company took another step in increasing its exposure through the sport.
NASCAR and Aspen Dental announced a multiyear agreement Friday that makes the Syracuse, New York-based network of dental care providers the “Official Dentists of NASCAR.” The partnership dovetails with the advent of Aspen Dental’s “Get Started” initiative, a program that promotes oral health awareness with the help of Patrick and NASCAR.
Michelle Vaeth, Aspen Dental Management’s vice president of communications, recalled sitting at a conference table with NASCAR officials several months ago in the sanctioning body’s Charlotte, North Carolina, headquarters. The lively discussion turned to the 150 million Americans who avoided dental visits last year and how the company’s next initiative, a program which would eventually become “Get Started,” planned to combat that treatment gap.
“I think the passion with which we were speaking about it, this is why we go to work every day,” Vaeth says. “And this is why Aspen Dental doctors and team members out at the practices go to work every day, it’s to make that difference for patients. With the NASCAR folks in the room, I think it was contagious.”
Aspen Dental’s joint venture with NASCAR has established roots. The company has been a loyal sponsor of Stewart-Haas Racing since 2012 and of Patrick since 2014, her second full season in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.
Patrick’s profile has helped fuel successes with Aspen Dental’s Healthy Mouth Movement, which has turned charitable donations into dentistry care for veterans in need, and the “Taste of the Future” campaign, which warns of the long-term effects of delaying dental visits.
“I’m really excited about working with Aspen Dental to support them in breaking down the barriers to better care, better smiles and better lives,” Patrick said in a news release. “Starts and restarts are part of the sport. The same is true for focusing or refocusing on taking care of your mouth. Through ‘Get Started,’ we will encourage NASCAR fans to get started — or restarted — on their own road to better oral health.”
Aspen Dental’s blue, white and gray paint scheme will be prominent on Patrick’s No. 10 Ford this weekend at Auto Club Speedway, marking the fourth appearance for the brand in five Monster Energy Series races this season. The increased commitment and exposure also sync with the company’s growth. Aspen Dental currently has more than 600 offices for independent dental care providers across the country; it plans to expand into its 36th state later this year.
“Having the partnership with her and with SHR, and frankly a consistent presence at the track over time — and especially this year we’ll be showing up in a bigger way than we ever have before — yes, it’s helped us reach fans where they are,” Vaeth said.