Schein Honors Latin American Dentistry

This is the second year in a row that Schein organizes an event targeted to honor Hispanic and Latin American dentistry. The event is part of Henry Schein Cares, an important program that has donated and delivered health products and equipment to disaster areas such as a New Orleans after hurricane Katrina or Haiti after the 2010 earthquake.

Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman and CEO of Henry Schein, said the Hispanic community is a constituency that keeps growing in the US. Schein is interested in the demographic changes, which project that in 2023 most of the US population will have roots in other countries, many of them in Latin America.

Steve Kess, VP, Global Professional Relations for Schein, introduced Latin American Dental Federation (FOLA) President, Dr. Adolfo Rodríguez, who said that the partnership between Schein and FOLA should continue because it benefits dentists and patients. “Dentistry has to walk together to be able to build a road where we can all succeed,” said Dr. Rodríguez.

Dr. Rodríguez said also that he will be leaving his position as FOLA president in 2012, but that he hopes to have contributed to strengthening the relationship between Schein and Latin American dentistry.

NY State Senator Adolfo Espaillat added that organizations supported by Schein such as the Dominican Dental Association – USA, are very important because their members work in their communities and provide high quality health care to people that otherwise would not be able to afford it.

Schein CEO also singled out the partnership of Schein with the Hispanic Dental Association (HDA), an organization dedicated to help Hispanic dental professionals and students in the US. HDA president Margo Melchor, invited guests to attend the first Multicultural Oral Health Summit, that will take place in July 2012 in Boca Ratón, Florida, organized jointly with the National Dental Association and the Society of American Indian Dentists.

Aditi Palli, International Trade Specialist of the US Department of Commerce, said that Greater New York Dental Meeting has been a long-time participant of the Buyer Program, which brings foreign businesses to the US. Palli said that growth in this sector has been strong.

Among attendees to the Schein Breaksfast were FDI President Dr. Orlando Monteiro da Silva, Dr. Adriano Forghieri, Sao Paulo Dental Association President, Dr. Ricardo Martínez Lalis, President of the Argentinean Dental Association, Lauro Medrano, GNYDM Board Member, Dr. John Halikias, GNYDM General Chairman, and Jaime Donado, President of the Colombia Dental Federation.

The event ended with the projection of a video showing the work performed throughout the years by Henry Schein Cares, and a group photo of the main figures in Hispanic and Latin American dentistry.