Press Release Details

MELVILLE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 18, 2004--Henry Schein, Inc. (NASDAQ: HSIC), the largest distributor of healthcare products and services in the combined North American and European markets, today announced that it has acquired Barton-Cyker Dental Supply, Inc., a privately-owned, full-service distributor of dental products serving practitioners primarily in the Northeast region of the United States. Sales for the newly acquired company were approximately $20 million in 2003. Henry Schein expects the acquisition to be accretive to its 2005 earnings. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Barton-Cyker, headquartered in Windsor, Connecticut, primarily operates in New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Jersey. Through the acquisition, Henry Schein will add approximately 15 field sales consultants, including equipment sales specialists; as well as equipment service technicians and telesales representatives. The Barton-Cyker operations will become part of Henry Schein's U.S. dental business, Sullivan-Schein Dental.

"This acquisition further enhances our sales presence throughout the Northeastern United States by expanding our base of dental customers, and particularly bolstering our regional presence in the Boston area," said James Breslawski, President of Sullivan-Schein. "We are confident that Barton-Cyker's sales team will have great success in representing our comprehensive line of value-added dental products and services."

About Henry Schein, Inc.

Henry Schein, a Fortune 500(R) company, 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 450,000 customers worldwide, including dental practices and laboratories, physician practices and veterinary clinics, as well as government and other institutions. The Company's sales reached a record $3.4 billion in 2003.

The Company operates through a centralized and automated distribution network, which provides customers in more than 125 countries with a comprehensive selection of over 90,000 national and Henry Schein private-brand products.

Henry Schein also offers a wide range of innovative value-added practice solutions, including such leading practice management software systems as DENTRIX(R) and Easy Dental(R) for dental practices, and AVImark(R) for veterinary clinics, which are installed in over 50,000 practices; and ArubA(R), Henry Schein's electronic catalog and ordering system.

Headquartered in Melville, N.Y., Henry Schein employs over 9,000 people in 17 countries. For more information, visit the Henry Schein website at www.henryschein.com.

In accordance with the "Safe Harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, the Company provides the following cautionary remarks regarding important factors which, among others, could cause future results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements, expectations and assumptions expressed or implied herein. All forward-looking statements made by us are subject to risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the Company's actual results, performance and achievements, or industry results to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These statements are identified by the use of such terms as "may," "could," "expect," "intend," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "forecast," "project," "anticipate," or other comparable terms. A full discussion of the Company's operations and financial condition, including factors that may affect its business and future prospects, is contained in documents the Company has filed with the SEC and will be contained in all subsequent periodic filings made with the SEC. These documents identify, in detail, important risk factors that could cause the Company's actual performance to differ materially from current expectations.

Risk factors and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from current and historical results include, but are not limited to: competitive factors; changes in the healthcare industry; changes in government regulations that affect the Company; financial risks associated with the Company's international operations; fluctuations in quarterly earnings; transitional challenges associated with acquisitions; regulatory and litigation risks; the dependence on the Company's continued product development, technical support and successful marketing in the technology segment; the Company's dependence upon sales personnel and key customers; the Company's dependence on its senior management; the Company's dependence on third parties for the manufacture and supply of its products; possible increases in the cost of shipping the Company's products or other service trouble with the Company's third-party shippers; risks from rapid technological change; and risks from potential increases in variable interest rates.

The order in which these factors appear should not be construed to indicate their relative importance or priority. The Company cautions that these factors may not be exhaustive and that many of these factors are beyond the Company's ability to control or predict. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a prediction of actual results. The Company undertakes no duty and has no obligation to update forward-looking statements.

CONTACT: Henry Schein, Inc.
Steven Paladino, 631-843-5500
steven.paladino@henryschein.com
or
Susan Vassallo, 631-843-5562
susan.vassallo@henryschein.com

SOURCE: Henry Schein, Inc.