MELVILLE, N.Y., Nov. 6, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- 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, joined the Alpha Omega International Dental
Fraternity's (AO) Seattle chapter
in recognizing 25 area oral health professionals for their
participation in a program that provides free dental care to
Holocaust survivors in need.
The Alpha Omega-Henry Schein Cares Holocaust Survivors Oral
Health Program was launched last November in response to the White
House's call to action to help Holocaust survivors age with dignity
and respect. To date, the program has provided oral care to more
than 130 economically vulnerable Holocaust survivors across
North America. In Seattle, dental practitioners have treated
eight survivors and are currently treating six more.
The participating dentists were honored Monday, November 2 at a reception held at
Seattle's Holocaust Center for
Humanity. Seattle Mayor
Edward B. Murray issued a
proclamation declaring November 2,
2015 "Alpha Omega International Dental Fraternity Day."
"Henry Schein proudly joins the
Alpha Omega International Dental Fraternity in recognizing these
practitioners for their generosity and commitment to helping health
happen for this most deserving population," said Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman of the Board and
Chief Executive Officer of Henry
Schein, Inc. "Holocaust survivors have lived through
unspeakable trauma and overcome incredible challenges, and it is
incumbent upon the private and public sectors to ensure that this
population never wants for access to essential health
services."
The three-year initiative provides care to people identified by
the network of Jewish Family and Children's Service agencies or
other identified partner organizations, as well as people of any
faith who were victims of Nazi persecution and meet the program's
other eligibility requirements. In addition to financial need,
patient participation is prioritized by three critical factors: the
elimination of pain, restoration of function, and lack of dental
coverage. Participating clinicians determine each patient's scope
of care.
"We have a good group of volunteer dentists in Seattle who have been very active in treating
Holocaust survivors, at no cost," said AO Seattle chapter
Ambassador Dr. Kal Klass. "These
dentists volunteer strictly out of the goodness of their hearts,
for no recognition. And most importantly, they enjoy doing
it."
Honored at the event were: Dr. Kal
Klass, Dr. Yonatan Ahdut, Dr.
Paul Amato, Dr. Rebecca Bockow, Dr. Bobby Cohanim, Dr. Irving Cohen, Dr. Gary
Feldman, Dr. Robert Gelb, Dr.
David Isenberg, Dr. Jeff Janison, Dr.Jeff
Kanter, Dr. Wally Kegel, Dr.
Paul Lederman, Dr. Warren Libman, Dr. Bella
Makagon, Dr. Matthew Mandel,
Dr. Donna Massoth, Dr. Arnold Reich, Dr. Oleg
Shvartsur, Dr. Alexander
Shor, Dr. Michael Spektor,
Dr. Wendy Shultz Spektor, Dr.
Daniel Tremblay, Dr. Marilyn Weiss, and Dr. Jake Weissman.
This program fills a critical need for many of the 120,000
Holocaust survivors living in the U.S., one quarter of whom live in
poverty. Survivors often have special oral health needs, as many
suffered from prolonged nutritional deprivation and had little to
no dental care access as children during World War II. Originally
launched in nine cities—New York City, the New York/New
Jersey metropolitan area, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, Seattle, Montreal, and Toronto—the program has since
expanded to Atlanta, Columbus, and Calgary.
"On behalf of the Alpha Omega Dental Fraternity family around
the globe, I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude and
profound sense of pride to our Seattle members who have demonstrated the
highest degree of 'tikun olam'—healing the world—by providing
Holocaust Survivors with pro bono oral health care and treatment,"
said program Co-Chair and AO Immediate Past International President
Dr. Avi Wurman, DDS. "Our Seattle
dentists have exemplified the Alpha Omega ideals in a most
meaningful way."
The program has received generous financial support from The
Claire Friedlander Family Foundation and the Curt C. & Else
Silberman Foundation. Additional support has been provided by the
Henry Schein Cares Foundation, Bedford Health Care Solutions, The
Dr. Edward B. Shils Entrepreneurial Fund, Inc., and the Wagner
Family Foundation.
Please watch this video for more information about the Alpha
Omega-Henry Schein Cares Holocaust Survivors Oral Health
Program.
About Alpha Omega International Dental Fraternity
The
Alpha Omega International Dental Fraternity (AO) is the oldest
international Jewish dental and medical organization. Founded in
1907 at the University of Maryland
School of Dental Medicine, AO has expanded into an
international community of dental professionals who are guided by
the tenets of professionalism, fraternalism, and commitment to
Judaic values.
With over 100 alumni and student chapters in 10 countries, AO
members embrace the spirit of Tikkun Olam, or healing the
world through charitable endeavors. As healers, our members strive
to make their communities better. For more information, please
contact Heidi Weber, AO Executive Director,
at hweber@ao.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. (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 18,000 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
100,000 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 $10.4 billion in
2014, 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 Henry Schein at www.henryschein.com,
Facebook.com/HenrySchein and @HenrySchein on Twitter.
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