Henry Schein and Its Suppliers Partner with the ADA, Colgate and DEXIS to Give Kids a Smile
Free dental screenings and treatment for more that 500,000 underserved children provided for sixth-consecutive year
MELVILLE, N.Y., Feb 01, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Henry Schein, Inc. (NASDAQ: HSIC), the largest provider of healthcare products and services to office-based practitioners in the combined North American and European markets, today partnered for the sixth year with the American Dental Association (ADA) to support Give Kids A Smile Day, a program created to provide free oral health services to more than 500,000 underserved children throughout the United States. With the support of more than 51,000 dental team volunteers in this one-day initiative, children in 2,000 communities received oral health care, including educational, preventative and restorative services.
"Team Schein is proud to support Give Kids A Smile for a sixth consecutive year," said Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Henry Schein. "This flagship program for Henry Schein Cares, our global social responsibility program, has become a cornerstone in our efforts to help increase access to care for underserved populations both in the United States and abroad. Team Schein Members around the country worked with our customers and supplier partners to participate in this year's Give Kids A Smile initiative. With our supplier partners providing over one million dollars in product donations, Give Kids A Smile exemplifies what can be accomplished in thousands of communities through public-private partnerships among industry, the dental community and the ADA."
Henry Schein Dental, the U.S. division of Henry Schein, again served as the exclusive national distributor of professional products for Give Kids A Smile. With the support and commitment of 50 participating supplier partners, Henry Schein Dental provided 3,000 oral healthcare treatment and screening kits, which which were distributed throughout the United States. Each kit contained healthcare supplies to serve 50 or more children.
The products and services contributed by Henry Schein and its supplier partners, along with Colgate-Palmolive and DEXIS(R), two other primary sponsors of Give Kids A Smile, enabled dentists and dental team members to provide free oral healthcare to children from low-income families. DEXIS is a leading developer, manufacturer, and marketer of innovative digital X-ray systems. DEXIS is the most highly awarded digital X-ray system on the market and is sold under the DEXIS and DEXcare(R) brand names. Colgate-Palmolive is a leading global consumer products Company, tightly focused on Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care and Pet Nutrition. Colgate sells its products in over 200 countries and territories around the world.
Henry Schein's participation in Give Kids A Smile is part of Henry Schein Cares, which is "helping health happen" through the use of corporate expertise and resources. The many activities supported by Henry Schein Cares enhance healthcare advocacy and education; increase access to care among underserved populations; strengthen community wellness programs; and help prepare for and respond to disasters.
Give Kids A Smile Supplier Sponsors
3M ESPE L& R Manufacturing Inc Acteon Medicom Ansell Healthcare Microflex Corporation Axis Dental Corporation Mydent Biotrol International Nordent Centrix Palmero Healthcare Coltene/Whaledent Inc. Perio Support Crosstex International Premier Dental Products Company DASH Professional Disposables Intl Dentek Pulpdent Dentsply Caulk Richmond Dental Dentsply Pharmaceutical SDS Kerr Dentsply Professional Sempermed USA Dukal Corporation Septodont Dux Dental Southern Dental Flow X-Ray SS White Burs Foremost Sultan Healthcare GC America Sunstar Americas Gendex Surgical Specialties Corporation Harry J. Bosworth Company Tidi Products Hu-Friedy TotalCare Ivoclar Vivadent, Inc. Tuttnauer J & J Instruments Waterpik Technologies Johnson & Johnson Young Dental Kuraray America Inc. Zirc
About Give Kids A Smile
As part of Give Kids A Smile Day, dentists and dental team members around the country provided a range of dental services and educational programs for underserved children, while highlighting for policy makers the ongoing challenges that low-income and disabled children face in accessing dental care. Today's events included in-school brushing demonstrations, community screening and treatment programs, and free private dental care.
As noted in the Surgeon General's 2000 report, "Oral Health in America," dental decay is the most common disease affecting children in the United States, occurring at five times the rate of asthma and seven times that of hay fever. Millions of children suffer from untreated, easily preventable oral diseases that affect overall health, including speech, eating patterns and the ability to concentrate in school.
Give Kids A Smile serves as an annual vehicle to focus national attention on what the U.S. Surgeon General has called a "silent epidemic" of oral disease affecting children from low-income families, and to build support for public and private solutions that will help these children get regular oral health care. Due to the success of Give Kids a Smile Day, the ADA expanded the one-day event into a year-round effort to increase access to dental care for underserved children. A National Advisory Board was formed to further develop the program, focusing on three primary areas: program enhancement; fundraising; and hosting the annual Promising Practices Symposium.
About the ADA
The not-for-profit ADA is the nation's largest dental association, representing more than 153,000 members. The premier source of oral health information, the ADA has advocated for the public's health and promoted the art and science of dentistry since 1859. The ADA's state-of-the-art research facilities develop and test dental products and materials that have advanced the practice of dentistry and made the patient experience more positive. The ADA Seal of Acceptance long has been a valuable and respected guide to consumer and dental care products. For more information about the ADA, visit the Association's Web site at www.ada.org.
About Henry Schein
Henry Schein, a Fortune 500(R) company and a member of the NASDAQ 100(R) Index, is recognized for its excellent customer service and highly competitive prices. The Company's four business groups - Dental, Medical, International and Technology - serve more than 500,000 customers worldwide, including dental practitioners and laboratories, physician practices and animal health clinics, as well as government and other institutions. The Company operates through a centralized and automated distribution network, which provides customers in more than 200 countries with a comprehensive selection of more than 85,000 national and Henry Schein private-brand products in stock, as well as more than 100,000 additional products available as special-order items.
Henry Schein also offers a wide range of innovative value-added practice solutions for healthcare professionals, such as ArubA(R), the Company's electronic catalog and ordering system. Its leading practice-management software solutions have been installed in more than 50,000 practices, including DENTRIX(R) and Easy Dental(R) for dental practices, MicroMD(R) for physician practices, and AVImark(R) for animal health clinics.
Headquartered in Melville, N.Y., Henry Schein employs more than 12,000 people and has operations or affiliates in 22 countries. The Company's net sales reached a record $5.05 billion in 2006. For more information, visit the Henry Schein Web site at www.henryschein.com.
SOURCE: Henry Schein, Inc.
Henry Schein, Inc.
Susan Vassallo, 631-843-5562
Vice President, Corporate Communications
susan.vassallo@henryschein.com