UNITED STATES
                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

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                                   FORM 8-K

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                                CURRENT REPORT
                    PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                        SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934



               November 30, 1998                              000-27078
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 Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)      (Commission File Number)
                                   
                           



                              HENRY SCHEIN, INC.
            (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



        Delaware                                            11-3136595
- -------------------------------         ---------------------------------------
(State or other jurisdiction of         (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)
incorporation or organization)

                   



                      135 Duryea Road, Melville, NY 11747
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              (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)


                                (516) 843-5500
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             (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)



ITEM 5.            OTHER EVENTS.

         On November 30, 1998, the Board of Directors of Henry Schein, Inc.
(the "Corporation" or the "Company") declared a dividend distribution of one
right (a "Right") to purchase one-tenth of a share of the Common Stock, $.01
par value, of the Corporation (the "Common Shares") for each outstanding share
of Common Stock, payable to the stockholders of record on December 14, 1998
(the "Record Date"). The Board of Directors also authorized and directed the
issuance of one Right with respect to each Common Share issued thereafter
until the Distribution Date (as defined below) and, in certain circumstances,
with respect to Common Shares issued after the Distribution Date. Except as
set forth below, each Right, when it becomes exercisable, entitles the
registered holder to purchase from the Corporation one-tenth of a Common Share
at a price of $185 per whole Common Share (the "Purchase Price"), subject to
adjustment. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in a Rights
Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between the Corporation and Continental
Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent"), dated as
of November 30, 1998.

         Initially, the Rights will be attached to all certificates
representing Common Shares then outstanding, and no separate Right
Certificates will be distributed. The Rights will separate from the Common
Shares upon the earliest to occur of (i) a person or entity (a "Person") or
group of affiliated or associated Persons (a "Group") having acquired
beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the outstanding Common Shares (except
pursuant to a Permitted Offer, as hereinafter defined); or (ii) 10 business
days (or such later date as the Board of Directors may determine) following
the commencement of, or announcement of an intention to make, a tender offer
or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in a Person or Group
becoming an Acquiring Person (as hereinafter defined) (the earliest of such
dates being called the "Distribution Date"). A Person or Group whose
acquisition of Common Shares causes a Distribution Date pursuant to clause (i)
above is an "Acquiring Person." The date that a Person or Group becomes an
Acquiring Person is the "Shares Acquisition Date."

          Notwithstanding the foregoing, certain stockholders who currently
own in excess of 15% of the outstanding Common Shares and their affiliates and
associates ("Grandfathered Stockholders") will not be deemed to be Acquiring
Persons and their ownership will not cause a Distribution Date unless they
acquire additional Common Shares equal to more than 20% of the number of
Common Shares owned by them on the date of the Rights Agreement. Grandfathered
Stockholders may transfer some or all of the Common Shares which they
beneficially own to any Person that does not, prior to such transfer,
beneficially own more than 1% of the outstanding shares.

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         In addition, a Person who acquires Common Shares pursuant to a tender
or exchange offer which is for all outstanding Common Shares at a price and on
terms which the Board of Directors determines (prior to acquisition) to be
adequate and in the best interests of the Corporation and its stockholders
(other than such Person, its affiliates and associates) (a "Permitted Offer")
will not be deemed to be an Acquiring Person and such Person's ownership
will not constitute a Distribution Date. Furthermore, no party to the Amended
and Restated HSI Agreement, dated as of February 10, 1994, as amended (the
"HSI Agreement"), the Voting Trust dated September 30, 1994, as amended, or
any of the Restructuring Agreements (as defined in the HSI Agreement) will be
deemed, by virtue of such agreements, to be the beneficial owner of any of the
Common Shares beneficially owned by any of the other parties thereto, and such
agreements shall not be deemed to cause the parties thereto to be considered a
group for purposes of the definition of Acquiring Person.

         The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date, the
Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Shares. Until the
Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), new
Common Share certificates issued after the Record Date upon the transfer or
new issuance of Common Shares will contain a notation incorporating the Rights
Agreement by reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or
expiration of the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for
Common Shares outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such notation or
a copy of this Summary of Rights being attached thereto, will also constitute
the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by
such certificate. As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date,
separate certificates evidencing the Rights ("Right Certificates") will be
mailed to holders of record of the Common Shares as of the close of business
on the Distribution Date (and to each initial record holder of certain Common
Shares issued after the Distribution Date), and such separate Right
Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.

         The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date, and will
expire at the close of business on November 30, 2008, unless earlier redeemed
by the Corporation as described below.

         In the event that any person becomes an Acquiring Person, each holder
of Rights (other than Rights that have become null and void as described
below) will thereafter have the right (the "Flip-In Right") to receive, upon
exercise of such Rights, the number of Common Shares (or, in certain
circumstances, other securities of the Corporation) having a value
(immediately prior to such triggering event) equal to two times the aggregate
exercise price of such Rights. For example, if a Person became an Acquiring
person at a time when the current per share market price of the Corporation's
Common Shares is $37 (and prior to any antidilution adjustment as described
below), each holder of a Right (other than a Right which has become null and
void as described herein) would have the right to receive upon the exercise of
the Right ten Common Shares upon the payment of an exercise price of $185.

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         The Board, at its option, may exchange each Right (other than those
that have become null and void as described below) for one Common Share in
lieu of the Flip-In Right, provided no Person is the beneficial owner of 50%
or more of the Common Shares at the time of such exchange. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, following the occurrence of the event described above, all Rights
that are or (under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement)
were beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person or any affiliate or associate
thereof or certain transferees thereof will be null and void.

         In the event that, at any time following the Shares Acquisition Date,
(i) the Corporation is acquired in a merger or other business combination
transaction in which the holders of all of the outstanding Common Shares
immediately prior to the consummation of the transaction are not the holders
of all of the surviving corporation's voting power, or (ii) more than 50% of
the Corporation's assets or earning power is sold or transferred, then each
holder of Rights (except Rights which previously have been voided as set forth
above) shall thereafter have the right (the "Flip-Over Right") to receive,
upon exercise of such Rights, common shares of the acquiring company (or in
certain circumstances, its parent) having a value equal to two times the
aggregate exercise price of the Rights; provided, however, that the Flip Over
Right shall not apply to any transaction described in clause (i) if (x) such
transaction is with a Person or Persons (or a wholly owned subsidiary of any
such Person or Persons) that acquired Common Shares pursuant to a Permitted
Offer and (y) the price and form of consideration offered in such transaction
is the same as that paid to all holders of Common Shares whose shares were
purchased pursuant to the Permitted Offer. The holder of a Right will continue
to have the Flip-Over Right whether or not such holder exercises or surrenders
the Flip-In Right.

         The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Common Shares or other
securities issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject to adjustment
from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock dividend on,
or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Common Shares, (ii)
upon the grant to holders of the Common Shares of certain rights or warrants
to subscribe for or purchase Common Shares at a price, or securities
convertible into Common Shares with a conversion price, less than the then
current market price of the Common Shares, or (iii) upon the distribution to
holders of the Common Shares of evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding
regular quarterly cash dividends) or of subscription rights or warrants (other
than those referred to above).

         With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in
such Purchase Price. No fractional Common Shares will be issued and, in lieu
thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of the
Common Shares on the last trading day prior to the date of exercise.

         At any time prior to the earlier to occur of (i) a person becoming an
Acquiring Person or (ii) the expiration of the Rights, the Corporation may
redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, 


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at a price of $.01 per Right (the "Redemption Price"), which redemption shall
be effective at such time, on such basis and with such conditions as the Board
of Directors may establish in its sole discretion. The Corporation may, at its
option, pay the Redemption Price in Common Shares.

         All of the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the
Board of Directors prior to the Distribution Date. After the Distribution
Date, the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Board in
order to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency, to make changes which do
not adversely affect the interests of holders of Rights (excluding the
interests of any Acquiring Person), or, subject to certain limitations, to
shorten or lengthen any time period under the Rights Agreement.

         Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Corporation, including, without limitation, the
right to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights
will not be taxable to stockholders of the Corporation, stockholders may,
depending upon the circumstances, recognize taxable income should the Rights
become exercisable or upon the occurrence of certain events thereafter.

         The Rights have certain anti-takeover effects. The Rights will cause
substantial dilution to a person or group that attempts to acquire the Company
on terms not approved by the Board of Directors. The Rights should not
interfere with any merger or other business combination approved by the Board
of Directors, as the Rights may be redeemed by the Corporation at $.01 per
Right prior to the time that a person or group has acquired beneficial
ownership of 15% or more of the Common Shares, and, moreover, are not
triggered by a Permitted Offer approved by the Board of Directors as described
herein.

         The Rights Agreement is incorporated herein by reference. The
foregoing description of the Rights is qualified in its entirety by reference
to such exhibit.


ITEM 7.           FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS

         (c)      Exhibits.

         Rights Agreement, dated as of November 30, 1998 between Henry Schein,
         Inc. and Continental Stock Transfer and Trust Company, as Rights
         Agent, with the form of Right Certificate attached as Exhibit A
         thereto and the Summary of Rights to Purchase Shares attached as
         Exhibit B thereto, incorporated by reference to Henry Schein, Inc.
         Form 8-A filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
         December 7, 1998.


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                                  SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
Henry Schein, Inc. has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by
the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                          HENRY SCHEIN, INC.


                             By: /s/ Mark E. Mlotek
                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                   Name:    Mark E. Mlotek
                                   Title:   Vice President, General Counsel and
                                            Secretary

Date:  December 15, 1998



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