Case Study

Henry Schein, Inc.

All children deserve a healthy smile.

Give Kids A Smile

Henry Schein Helps the American Dental Association
Give Kids A Smile
Overview The Solution
Over the course of six years, Henry Schein (through As a major sponsor of GKAS through Henry Schein
Henry Schein Dental) has partnered with the Cares, the Company’s global social responsibility
American Dental Association to transform a pilot program, Henry Schein Dental quickly expanded its
program in St. Louis, Missouri into an important role far beyond simple financial support. Using its
ongoing national access to oral health care initiative close relationships with dental product manufacturers,
that has provided free screenings, education and the Company recruited an impressive roster of supplier
dental treatment to millions of underserved children partners (nearly 50 partners annually) who donated
in communities around the country. products needed by the thousands of dental team
volunteers. Each year, Henry Schein Dental furnished
The Challenge hundreds of GKAS sites with professional dental
screening and prevention kits, which included items
In February 2002, the Greater St. Louis Dental
such as gloves, masks, patient bibs, dental floss,
Society and local volunteer dentists provided free
prophy paste and fluoride gel, foam and varnish. The
dental treatment to nearly 400 children over a two-
Company also dedicated Team Schein Members
day Give Kids A Smile (GKAS) clinic, the first such
throughout the organization to advancing the
program in the country. Seeing the potential of the
program—from senior strategic leadership to
pilot program to provide care and increase
communications support to on-site staffing at GKAS
awareness of the importance of access to oral
clinics around the country.
health care for children, the American Dental
Association (ADA) adopted GKAS with the intention
of rolling it out in communities around the country.
To help achieve this goal, the ADA invited Henry
Schein Dental to join with them as the exclusive
provider of professional products
The Result
In the six years that Henry Schein Dental has
supported GKAS, the program has significantly
increased its reach and become a flagship program
for both the ADA and Henry Schein Cares. Over the
past four years, an average of more than 550,000
underserved children have received treatment
annually on GKAS Day in February, with the
participation of an average 42,275 dental team
volunteers working at an average 1,981 locations.
The average value of the care provided each year
through the GKAS program exceeds $42 million.

Young patient learns the fine art of brushing her teeth properly

GKAS also has heightened awareness of the access

care issue among policymakers. In 2005 Congress
passed a resolution commending the ADA and the
volunteer dentists for GKAS, and underscoring the
need to provide access to oral health care for children.

The GKAS program has expanded to include the

GSAS Fund, through which organizations and
individuals can contribute to help achieve program
goals; an annual Gala Awards Dinner, which further
Happy patients at the Give kids a smile event in Longview, Texas. raises awareness; a GKAS Promising Practices
Symposium, though which local GKAS leaders can
share ideas and experiences; and four key program
Additional major sponsors—including Colgate-
partners—Colgate’s Bright Smiles, Bright Futures;
Palmolive, Johnson & Johnson, Dexis Digital X-ray,
Henry Schein’s Healthy Children, Healthy Lifestyles;
the William Wrigley Jr. Company and CareCredit—
Mission of Mercy; and TeamSmile.
have joined the GKAS initiative to expand the
program. In addition, Steve Kess, Henry Schein
Vice President for Global Professional Relations and
longtime member of the ADA Foundation Board,
was invited by the ADA in 2007 to chair the Give
Kids A Smile National Advisory Board—the first non-
dental chairman for a major ADA board in 147 years.
The GKAS National Advisory Board is working with
the ADA to expand the scope of the event beyond a
single day for years to come.

July 2008

Henry Schein, Inc.,135 Duryea Road, Melville NY 11747

www.henryschein.com