Press Release Details

MELVILLE, N.Y., Aug. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Henry Schein, Inc. (NASDAQ: HSIC), the world's largest provider of health care products and services to office-based dental, medical and animal health practitioners, announced today that the 2012 Healthy Lifestyles, Healthy Communities program will provide free medical and dental services to more than 8,000 children and their caregivers. Healthy Lifestyles, Healthy Communities events are being held in cities throughout the United States through the end of the year.  The 2012 season kicked off with events held recently at the Doris Ison Clinic in Miami, Fl. and the Marlboro County High School in Bennettsville, SC.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120823/NY61717)

A flagship program for Henry Schein Cares, the Company's global corporate social responsibility program, Healthy Lifestyles, Healthy Communities promotes access to health care, prevention, and wellness for underserved communities by providing free medical and dental screenings at events that are fun and engaging for the community.  Healthy Lifestyles, Healthy Communities is annually co-sponsored by state and local community health organizations and supported by Henry Schein's supplier partners.  The Henry Schein Cares Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization that supports and promotes dental, medical, and animal health by helping to increase access to care globally, provided financial support for the program as well.

"Henry Schein is deeply grateful for the commitment of our partner community health organizations and for the generosity of our valued supplier partners in working together with us to enhance access to care for the underserved in cities across the United States," said Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Henry Schein, Inc.  "The success of the Healthy Lifestyles, Healthy Communities program underscores the importance of preventive care in the fight against chronic diseases, and the powerful impact that securing a 'Health Home™' can have in the improvement of the overall health of patients."  

At each Healthy Lifestyles, Healthy Communities event, local physicians, nurses, dentists, and community volunteers screen for five diseases and associated risk factors that commonly affect children and caregivers: hypertension, asthma, diabetes, obesity, and poor oral health.  In addition, participating children and their caregivers receive educational materials about ways to prevent and treat these problems, information about returning for a flu vaccination later in the season, and assistance in finding a local community health center where they may receive health care on a regular basis.  The program seeks to create a "Health Home™" for participating children and their caregivers, so that they have a place to receive ongoing care throughout the year.

The 2012 program's first events were held in Miami, Fl. at the Doris Ison Clinic and in Bennettsville, SC at Marlboro County High School.  At these first two events, more than 1,500 children and their caregivers were screened.  The third 2012 Healthy Lifestyles, Healthy Communities event will be held in Bridgeport, CT on August 25^th at the Park City Center.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), chronic diseases account for approximately 80 percent of deaths in the United States and 75 percent of health care costs.  The CDC also notes that heart disease, cancer and stroke account for more than 50 percent of all deaths each year among Americans.  According to the World Health Organization, chronic diseases account for more than 60 percent of deaths globally.

The Healthy Lifestyles, Healthy Communities program underscores the integral link between oral health and total health by providing free medical and dental services during one visit for participants.  Increasingly, studies – including those by the CDC, the New England Journal of Medicine, and the American Dental Association – have demonstrated the link between oral health conditions to overall health among adults, such as links between periodontal disease and diabetes, coronary heart disease, preterm birth, and low birth weight.

Henry Schein's Healthy Lifestyles, Healthy Communities Supplier Partners:

American Diagnostics Corporation
Ansell Limited
Aso, LLC
Becton, Dickinson and Company
Colgate-Palmolive Company
Covidien plc
DUKAL Corporation
HealthLink, Inc.
LifeScan, Inc.
Metrex Research Corporation
Microflex Corporation
Midmark Corp.
Omron Healthcare, Inc.
Professional Disposables International, Inc.
Safetec of America, Inc.
Seca Corp.
Welch Allyn Inc.
Terumo Medical Corporation
TIDI Products LLC

About Henry Schein Cares and the Henry Schein Cares Foundation

Henry Schein Cares, Henry Schein's global corporate social responsibility program, stands on four pillars: engaging Team Schein Members to reach their potential, ensuring accountability by extending ethical business practices to all levels within Henry Schein, promoting environmental sustainability, and expanding access to health care for underserved and at-risk communities around the world.   Health care activities supported by Henry Schein Cares focus on three main areas: advancing wellness, building capacity in the delivery of health care services, and assisting in emergency preparedness and relief. Firmly rooted in a deep commitment to social responsibility and the concept of enlightened self-interest championed by Benjamin Franklin, the philosophy behind Henry Schein Cares is a vision of "doing well by doing good."  Through the work of Henry Schein Cares to enhance access to care for those in need, the Company believes that it is furthering its long-term success.

Established in 2008, Henry Schein Cares Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization, works to foster, support, and promote dental, medical, and animal health by helping to increase access to care for communities around the world.  The Henry Schein Cares Foundation carries out its mission through financial and health care product donations that support health care professionals and community-based programs focused on prevention, wellness, and treatment; disaster preparedness and relief; and capacity building of health institutions that provide training and care.  To learn more about the Henry Schein Cares Foundation, please visit: www.hscaresfoundation.org.  The "Helping Health Happen Blog" is a platform for health care professionals to share their volunteer experiences delivering assistance to those in need globally. To read more about how Henry Schein Cares is making a difference, please visit our blog: http://helpinghealthhappen.org/.

About Henry Schein, Inc.

Henry Schein, Inc. (NASDAQ: HSIC) is the world's largest provider of health care products and services to office-based dental, medical and animal health practitioners.  The Company also serves dental laboratories, government and institutional health care clinics, and other alternate care sites.  A FORTUNE 500® Company and a member of the NASDAQ 100® Index, Henry Schein employs nearly 15,000 Team Schein Members and serves approximately 775,000 customers.

The Company offers a comprehensive selection of products and services, including value-added solutions for operating efficient practices and delivering high-quality care.  Henry Schein operates through a centralized and automated distribution network, with a selection of more than 90,000 national and Henry Schein private-brand products in stock, as well as more than 100,000 additional products available as special-order items.  The Company also offers its customers exclusive, innovative technology solutions, including practice management software and e-commerce solutions, as well as a broad range of financial services. 

Headquartered in Melville, N.Y., Henry Schein has operations or affiliates in 26 countries.  The Company's sales reached a record $8.5 billion in 2011, and have grown at a compound annual rate of 18 percent since Henry Schein became a public company in 1995.  For more information, visit the Henry Schein Web site at http://www.henryschein.com/.

SOURCE Henry Schein, Inc.

Susan Vassallo, Vice President, Corporate Communications, +1-631-843-5562, susan.vassallo@henryschein.com, for Henry Schein, Inc.