Henry Schein and Supplier Partners Join the American Dental Association Foundation to Celebrate 13th Annual Give Kids A Smile Day

MELVILLE, N.Y., Feb. 6, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- For the 13^th consecutive year, Henry Schein, Inc. (NASDAQ: HSIC), the world's largest provider of health care products and services to office-based dental, animal health and medical practitioners, will play a central role in expanding access to oral health care for underserved children in the United States by sponsoring the American Dental Association (ADA) Foundation's Give Kids A Smile (GKAS) program, the largest oral health charitable event in the world.

Celebrated nationally on the first Friday of each February, GKAS Day is the result of a public-private partnership between the ADA, ADA Foundation, Henry Schein, Colgate-Palmolive and DEXIS. The program was launched in 2003 by the ADA to help raise awareness of the critical need to expand access to oral health care for children in the U.S. As the official professional products sponsor since the program's inception, Henry Schein, together with its valued supplier partners, has donated more than $13 million in oral health care products used to provide free oral health services for nearly five million children.

This year, nearly 350,000 underserved children will receive free oral health screenings, education and treatment at nearly 1,500 locations across the country. Care will be delivered by nearly 40,000 dental team volunteers, including 10,000 dentists, using supplies from 3,000 kits of essential oral health care products donated by Henry Schein and 29 of the Company's suppliers.

"Henry Schein is proud to continue our steadfast support of Give Kids A Smile through our global social responsibility program, Henry Schein Cares, working with our valued supplier partners, volunteer oral health care professionals and the American Dental Association Foundation," said Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Henry Schein, Inc. "With more than half of Americans suffering from periodontal disease and the widely recognized integral link between oral health and overall health, a lifetime of good oral health is vitally important. We remain deeply committed to working with the ADA to lead this nationwide initiative to expand access to oral health care for underserved children and set them on the trajectory for a lifetime of good oral health."   

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), dental caries, the disease that causes cavities, is the most prevalent infectious disease in children in the U.S., affecting more than 40 percent of infants and preschoolers by the time they reach kindergarten and about half of all children from lower-income families. In addition, a study published by The Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA), the ADA's flagship scientific publication on dentistry, indicates that, while dental caries is a multifactorial disease with many behavioral and community determinants, children from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds have a higher average incidence of tooth decay.

"The ADA is deeply grateful for Henry Schein's and its suppliers' long-standing partnership and important contributions to Give Kids A Smile," said Maxine Feinberg, D.D.S., President of the American Dental Association. "Their support has helped enhance access to oral health care for millions of children, underscoring the power of Give Kids A Smile to bring healthy, happy smiles to many children's faces."

Henry Schein supplier partners supporting the 2015 Give Kids A Smile program through product donations include: 3M ESPE, Axis/SybronEndo, Centrix, Coltene/Whaledent Inc., Crosstex International, DASH Medical, DENTSPLY Professional, DMG America, Dukal Corporation, DUX Dental, GC America, Hu-Friedy, Kerr Corporation, Kerr TotalCare, Kimberly-Clark Healthcare, Medicom, Microflex Corporation, Miltex, PDI, Premier Dental Products, Richmond Dental, Sempermed USA, Septodont, Southern Dental, Sultan Healthcare, TIDI Products, Tuttnauer, Water Pik and Young Dental.

About the ADA 
The not-for-profit ADA is the nation's largest dental association, representing 158,000 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 The Journal of the American Dental Association  (JADA) is the ADA's flagship publication and the best-read scientific journal in dentistry. For more information about the ADA, visit ADA.org. For more information on oral health, including prevention, care and treatment of dental disease, visit the ADA's consumer website MouthHealthy.org.

About the ADA Foundation 
As dentistry's premier philanthropic and charitable organization, the ADA Foundation is a catalyst for uniting people and organizations to make a difference through better oral health. In 2013, the ADA Foundation provided more than $1,371,000 in grants, scholarships, and awards to programs that are in alignment with the organization's four mission pillars: Charitable Assistance, Access to Care, Research, and Education (C.A.R.E.). As part of these efforts, the ADA Foundation provides funding to Give Kids A Smile®-related efforts and also oversees the Dr. Anthony Volpe Research Center in Gaithersburg, MD (formerly the Paffenbarger Research Center). For more information about the ADA Foundation, visit www.adafoundation.org.

About Henry Schein Cares
Henry Schein Cares 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. "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: www.helpinghealthhappen.org.

About Henry Schein, Inc.      
Henry Schein, Inc. is the world's largest provider of health care products and services to office-based dental, animal health and medical 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 more than 17,000 Team Schein Members and serves more than 800,000 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 96,000 branded products and Henry Schein private-brand products in stock, as well as more than 110,000 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 28 countries. The Company's sales reached a record $9.6 billion in 2013, and have grown at a compound annual rate of approximately 16 percent since Henry Schein became a public company in 1995. For more information, visit the Henry Schein website at www.henryschein.com.

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SOURCE Henry Schein, Inc.

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