Melville, NY - October 12, 2016 - Henry Schein, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSIC) is calling on dentists and other oral health professionals to be heroes in their communities by volunteering their time and talent to provide free oral care to children in need as part of the ADA Foundation’s 15th annual Give Kids A Smile (GKAS) program, taking place next year.
The American Dental Association (ADA) launched the national GKAS program in 2003 to help raise awareness of the critical need to expand access to oral health care for children in the U.S. Kicking off on the first Friday in February—and with events taking place year-round—volunteer practitioners participate in Give Kids A Smile by providing a range of free oral health services to underserved children, including education, screenings, and treatment.
Registration is now open for dentists and oral health professionals interested in participating. To learn more about the program and how to register, please visit here. Care providers looking for further encouragement to volunteer can check out Henry Schein’s Helping Health Happen blog for “15 Reasons to Give Kids A Smile” or visit the Company’s Facebook page to watch a short video about the program.
GKAS is the result of a public-private partnership between the ADA Foundation, Henry Schein, Colgate-Palmolive, and DEXIS. Henry Schein has served as the program’s official professional products sponsor since its inception, joining its supplier partners to donate more than $14 million in oral health care products used to provide free oral health services for more than 5.5 million children. In 2016, it is estimated that 300,000 underserved children are receiving care at 1,300 locations across the country. Care is being delivered by nearly 30,000 dental team volunteers, including more than 7,000 dentists.
“At Henry Schein, we are pleased to support health care professionals who share our commitment to expanding access to care for children in need, and we urge dentists and oral health professionals across the country to volunteer for this wonderful program,” said Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Henry Schein. “Give Kids A Smile ensures that each participating child is set on the path to good oral health, and we urge care providers to join us in ‘helping health happen.’”
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), dental caries, also known as cavities, is the most common chronic disease of children ages 6 to 11 and adolescents ages 12 to 19. 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 than average incidence of tooth decay.
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. (Nasdaq: HSIC) 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 S&P 500® and the Nasdaq 100® indexes, Henry Schein employs more than 19,000 Team Schein Members and serves more than one million 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 110,000 branded products and Henry Schein private-brand products in stock, as well as more than 150,000 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 33 countries. The Company's sales reached a record $10.6 billion in 2015, and have grown at a compound annual rate of approximately 15 percent since Henry Schein became a public company in 1995. For more information, visit Henry Schein at www.henryschein.com, Facebook and on Twitter.