Henry Schein and American Dental Association Open NASDAQ Exchange to Mark ADA's Eighth Annual 'Give Kids A Smile Day'

MELVILLE, N.Y., Feb. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Henry Schein, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSIC), the largest distributor of health care products and services to office-based dental, medical and veterinary practitioners, joined the American Dental Association (ADA) today to open the NASDAQ Exchange for trading in celebration of the ADA's eighth annual "Give Kids A Smile Day".  Representatives from all segments of the dental community and co-sponsors DEXIS® and Colgate-Palmolive Company were also present to help kick off "Give Kids A Smile Day" at the NASDAQ MarketSite Tower.

"Give Kids A Smile Day" annually provides free dental services and educational programs for more than 320,000 underserved children at approximately 1,700 locations across the United States.  Today almost 50,000 dental team volunteers, including 13,000 dentists, will participate in events including in-school brushing demonstrations, community screening and treatment programs, and free private dental care.  

Henry Schein Dental, the U.S. Dental division of Henry Schein, is again serving as the exclusive professional product sponsor of "Give Kids A Smile Day". With the commitment and support of 40 supplier partners, Henry Schein will provide thousands of oral health care screening and prevention kits to the program containing supplies to serve more than 150,000 children. Since the program's inception, Henry Schein and its supplier partners have donated more than $10 million in value to the "Give Kids A Smile" program.

"'Give Kids A Smile' was the first significant national program supported through Henry Schein Cares, our global social responsibility program, and it remains a flagship initiative in which we take great pride and remain firmly committed," said Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Henry Schein. "'Give Kids A Smile' is a sterling example of the effectiveness strategic public-private partnerships hold in addressing complex health care issues.  By contributing our own core competencies, supplementing these with the contributions of our generous supplier partners, and working in collaboration with all segments of the dental community, we are able to use our collective resources to increase awareness of this important issue and to make a tangible difference in the lives of underserved children in our country."

Each year, ADA's "Give Kids A Smile Day" highlights the ongoing challenges that underserved children face in accessing dental care, and helps build support among policy makers for public and private solutions that will provide regular access to oral health care.  According to the ADA, tooth decay is the single most chronic childhood disease—five times more common than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever. Recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data show that tooth decay is on the rise for preschoolers, and it is estimated that 80 percent of tooth decay is found in only 25 percent of the children. The ADA recommends that children see a dentist no later than their first birthday, yet almost half (49 percent) have never seen a dentist before kindergarten, and by ages six to eight more than half (53.2 percent) have tooth decay.  Children five to seven years of age are estimated to lose more than seven million school hours annually because of dental problems.

"The success of the "Give Kids A Smile" program over the past eight years reflects not only the commitment of our membership to address the important issue of access to oral health care for underserved children, but also the invaluable support of our corporate sponsors, whose participation has increased the scope and effectiveness of the initiative," said Dr. Ron Tankersley, President, American Dental Association.  "It is a great pleasure to work hand-in-hand with Henry Schein, DEXIS, Colgate-Palmolive, and our many other dental industry supporters to help enhance the level of care for our country's children in need."

In addition to "Give Kids A Smile Day", the ADA has expanded the program into a year-round effort to increase access to dental care for underserved children.  The ADA's "Give Kids A Smile" National Advisory Board, which is chaired by Steve Kess, Vice President of Global Professional Relations for Henry Schein, focuses on expanding this initiative in three primary areas—program enhancement; fundraising; and hosting an annual Promising Practices Symposium where similar programs can share best practices.  

Henry Schein's 2010 Participating Supplier Partners

This year the following manufacturers are supporting the ADA's "Give Kids A Smile" efforts through product donations:

About the ADA

Celebrating its 150th anniversary, the not-for-profit ADA is the nation's largest dental association, representing more than 157,000 dentist 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 dental care products. The monthly Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA) is the best-read scientific journal in dentistry. For more information about the ADA, visit the Association's Web site at www.ada.org.

About DEXIS

DEXIS is an industry leader in developing high quality digital imaging solutions for the dental community. In 1997, DEXIS introduced digital radiography on laptop computers — making it the first truly portable and affordable digital X-ray system. In 2001, DEXIS became the first intra-oral digital radiography system to be accepted by the American Dental Association into the highly prestigious ADA Seal Program. Today, DEXIS is the most highly awarded intra-oral digital X-ray system with numerous awards from dental researchers and well-respected dental publications.  For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.dexis.com.

About Colgate-Palmolive Company

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 under such internationally recognized brand names as Colgate, Palmolive, Mennen, Softsoap, Irish Spring, Protex, Sorriso, Kolynos, Elmex, Tom's of Maine, Ajax, Axion, Soupline, and Suavitel, as well as Hill's Science Diet and Hill's Prescription Diet.  For more information about Colgate's global business, visit the company's Web site at www.colgate.com.

About Henry Schein

Henry Schein, a Fortune 500® company and a member of the NASDAQ 100® 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 590,000 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 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. Henry Schein also provides exclusive, innovative technology offerings for dental, medical and veterinary professionals, including value-added practice management software and electronic health record solutions.

Headquartered in Melville, N.Y., Henry Schein employs more than 13,500 people and has operations or affiliates in 23 countries. The Company's net sales reached a record $6.4 billion in 2008. For more information, visit the Henry Schein Web site at www.henryschein.com.

SOURCE Henry Schein, Inc.