Henry Schein helps foster successful practice

Henry Schein Regional will introduce more value-added benefits for its dental customers and increase its philanthropic activities in the Australian and New Zealand markets in 2004, according to the chairman of the company's U.S.-based parent. Visiting Australia during FDI Sydney 2003, Stanley M. Bergman, chairman, CEO and president of Henry Schein, Inc., the world's leading distributor of healthcare products and services to office-based practitioners, detailed programmes already underway in the United States and Europe, and described how these initiatives will be introduced locally.

"Henry Schein strives for an active partnership with our clients, and we do all we can to improve dentists' practices," Mr Bergman said. "Over the past several years in the United States we have helped dentists become more successful in their practices as they deliver a better quality of care. Our suppliers worldwide are very supportive of this strategy.

"We are confident that the same strategic formula will help our dental customers in Australia and New Zealand, two very important markets that share many similarities with the United States. For example, demand for dental services both here and in the United States is increasing as the number of dentists retiring from practice exceeds those entering the profession," he added.

Mr Bergman said that increasing practice productivity was one key way that dentists could become more successful, and that this could be accomplished without compromising quality of care or increasing stress levels. "We have great experience in helping practitioners deal with these issues," he said. "This isn't new, but it's relatively new in Australia and New Zealand."

Technology is having a considerable influence on dental practice, according to Mr Bergman, and over one-third of U.S. dentists use one of Henry Schein's clinically-based practice management software systems, including Dentrix, which is also available locally. A range of other dental and business technologies also are reducing the time it takes to perform many procedures, often increasing the quality of the results.

"There is tremendous awareness of the link between good oral health and good overall health," Mr Bergman said. "The number of people in the 45-to-65 age range increased by 50 percent from 1995 to 2000, and it is expected to double yet again by 2020. This is the wealthiest generation ever; they value dentistry, and want to keep their teeth for life.

"Cosmetic dentistry is increasing dramatically, and the cost of teeth whitening is decreasing as demand climbs," he added. "Orthodontic, geriatric, endodontic and implant dentistry are all on the rise. In the next 5 to 10 years, the use of dental clinical diagnostic procedures and pharmaceutical treatments will also increase significantly."

Henry Schein posted record sales of US$2.8 billion in 2002, and currently operates in 16 countries. The company's growth has been both organic and through acquisition.

"There are many international dental manufacturers, but we are the only international distributor," said Mr Bergman. "We distribute dental, medical and small animal veterinary products to office-based practitioners, and there is a lot of synergy between these businesses. In most countries, we are in all three businesses."

Mr Bergman said that Henry Schein works closely with universities on CE programmes, and that an officer of the company is vice president of the American Dental Association's Foundation Board.

"We have helped set up American Dental Association outreach programmes, and were instrumental in the 'Give Kids a Smile' programme, through which 10,000 dentists treated one million children free of charge in February 2003. We also were an important partner with the American Dental Association in promoting awareness of oral cancer, which affects 30,000 Americans each year, and causes 8,000 deaths.

"We are genuinely interested in fostering relationships with our clients that extend across the full life of their practice, and this is what separates us from our competitors," Mr Bergman continued. "This is the approach we are bringing to Australia and New Zealand, and we are confident it will benefit our dental clients, our suppliers, and the patient population."