MELVILLE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Henry Schein, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSIC) today announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the National Council on Disability (NCD) to seek improved access to care for Americans with disabilities in line with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The MOU was signed on December 3, 2019, at the Greater New York Dental Meeting, located at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City.
The MOU between Henry Schein Cares, the company’s global corporate social responsibility program, and NCD will focus on advancing key building blocks for expanding dental and medical care for people with disabilities, including improving oral health literacy and provider cultural competency for treating patients with disabilities, expanding development and utilization of products and equipment for patients with disabilities, assisting Americans with disabilities to access care, and advocating for appropriate financing and reimbursement rates.
“Expanding access to care for vulnerable populations is one of the pillars of Henry Schein Cares and aligns with the Company’s efforts to advocate for increased oral health care for people with physical, intellectual, and developmental disabilities,” said Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Henry Schein. “We are pleased to partner with NCD to advance health equity for long-disadvantaged individuals. It is clear that the gaps in access to care are wide, and we hope that this partnership will be a powerful catalyst towards helping to create a more inclusive health care ecosystem.”
First established as an advisory council within the Department of Education in 1978, NCD became an independent federal agency in 1984. In 1986, NCD recommended enactment of an Americans with Disabilities Act, and drafted the first version of the bill which was introduced in the House and Senate in 1988. Since enactment of the ADA in 1990, NCD has continued to play a leading role in crafting disability policy, and advising the President, Congress, and other federal agencies on disability policies, programs, and practices.
“Over 60 million Americans face unequal access to care, and by partnering with Henry Schein, we can bring together the stakeholders relevant to help provide true access to care for people with disabilities,” said Neil Romano, Chairman of the National Council on Disability. “We look forward to continuing to make progress for the disability community and ensuring that dentists can provide care for this most deserving population.”
In addition, Mr. Romano presented the NCD Chairman's Toward Independence Award to Mr. Bergman and Steven Kess, Vice President, Global Professional Relations at Henry Schein, who accepted on behalf of Henry Schein Cares. The special honor recognizes Henry Schein Cares’ interest toward educating the professional medical and dental communities in disability competency, and the shared commitment of NCD and Henry Schein Cares to coordinate their efforts for the well-being of people with disabilities.
Henry Schein seeks to promote change by collaborating with key stakeholders in local communities to mobilize support that will not only improve access to oral health care, but also ultimately improve the overall health of at-risk and underserved populations. In 2017, Henry Schein joined with The Viscardi Center in creating Project Accessible Oral Health (PAOH), an international public-private partnership that raises awareness of, and addresses the significant need for, increased oral health care for people with disabilities. PAOH is the first to assemble and connect an international consortium of dental and medical professionals, corporations, organizations, policymakers, educators, people with disabilities, caregivers, and other stakeholders in pursuit of equal access to culturally competent oral health care. The Company is also a Special Olympics Health Provider Partner, donating essential health care products to support Special Olympics Healthy Athletes®.
To learn more about NCD, visit www.ncd.gov.
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. To learn more about how Henry Schein Cares is making a difference, please visit: www.henryschein.com/socialresponsibility.
