Q+A Stanley Bergman Chairman & CEO of Henry Schein

February 2009 | Dental Products Report
10 Questions: A dialogue with industry leaders to discuss what's next in dentistry

Q+A Stanley Bergman Chairman & CEO of Henry Schein

"During an economic downturn, serving customers is about more than just discounting prices."


01 What impact do you see the recession having on dentistry?

While the healthcare industry is relatively resistant to economic downturns, it is not immune. As the recession has reduced the overall level of discretionary income, patients are becoming more cautious about their healthcare spending. The economy has also somewhat affected the discretionary spending of dental practitioners, particularly in the area of high-end equipment.

02 How is Henry Schein helping dentists move confidently into 2009?

We help drive our customers’ success with expert advice and a comprehensive offering of products and services that increase productivity, improve practice marketing, and enhance the delivery of quality healthcare. We work side by side with our customers to help ensure that their practices can thrive during this period of economic uncertainty.

03 With the ongoing credit crisis, is there anything that Henry Schein can do to alleviate some of the pressure dentists are feeling?

Through a wide variety of financing options available through Henry Schein Financial Services, we continue to help our customers achieve greater financial stability as they pursue their professional goals, and enable practitioners to purchase technology and equipment today that will drive the success of their practices for years to come.

04 What are some of the things the company is most excited about in the coming year?

Technology-driven products such as digital x-ray, practice management software systems, and electronic medical records will play an important role the future of the dental market. These and other business automation products will enable dental practitioners to increase the efficiency of their practices while enhancing their ability to provide high-quality care to patients.
 

05 Henry Schein is known for offering the latest in dental technology. What do you see as today’s most innovative products?

There are three key technologies revolutionizing dentistry: chair side CAD/CAM, 3D cone beam imaging technology, and all tissue dental laser systems. We also are excited about Dentrix G4, the industry leading practice management system. In addition to enabling practitioners to operate more efficient and successful practices by seamlessly incorporating a wide range of technology-driven tools-such as digital dental x-ray-G4 provides significantly enhanced communications capabilities between dental practices and their patients.
 

06 With a company as large as yours, how do you maintain a personal approach with customers?

It all starts with the personal touch of our Sales Consultants who have in-depth relationships and an understanding of our customer’s practices Providing excellent customer service is behind everything we do. We focus on professional development training for our Team Schein members geared toward listening to customers’ unique practice challenges, and offering innovative and tailored solutions to meet our customers’ needs.

07 What misconceptions about dental distributors would you dispel?

During an economic downturn, serving customers is about more than just discounting prices. We aim to be a trusted advisor and consultant to our customers, working with practitioners to develop long-term solutions that increase practice productivity, efficiency and lead to long-term success. We believe we have a real competitive advantage in this area.
 

08 Henry Schein is known for prioritizing social responsibility. Describe the company’s philosophy.

Since Henry Schein was founded in 1932, our commitment to social responsibility always has been rooted in Benjamin Franklin’s concept of enlightened self-interest-“doing well by doing good.” By giving back to our communities and the healthcare markets we serve through Henry Schein Cares, our global social responsibility program, we are furthering our company’s long-term success, and importantly, helping dentists increase access to care for the underserved.

09 What is the Henry Schein Cares model for giving?

Henry Schein Cares’ model for giving harnesses our own core competencies and leverages our strong ties to all essential sectors to capitalize on our collective strength. We seek to be a catalyst organization that mobilizes our partners to contribute the skills and resources for which they are best suited. The power of this model is clearly seen in programs like Give Kids A Smile, where our partnerships with the American Dental Association, our supplier partners and dental team volunteers have resulted in free oral healthcare for an average 550,000 underserved children annually across the country.

10 What keeps you up at night?

The fundamental ingredient to Henry Schein’s success is our unique values-based culture that has been a part of our company for 77 years. Ensuring that we maintain and strengthen our Team Schein culture as our company continues to grow and expand is what keeps me awake at night.