Advocacy Test

Amesh Adalja

MD, FIDSA, Senior Scholar and Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

“Currently with COVID-19 it’s basically impossible to know if you’re contagious to others at any given moment, wearing a face covering is one tool that has emerged to reduce the risk of transmission. High levels of face covering use in the population make activities safer for everyone in the current environment.”

Martina Szabo

Lead, Business Engagement and Strategy, COVID Action Platform, World Economic Forum

“The World Economic Forum’s COVID Action Platform continues to mobilize all stakeholders to protect lives and livelihoods, and has launched global efforts to help protect those especially vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences. As the world has passed the terrible milestone of over 1 million deaths as a result of COVID-19, our capacity to come together to tackle the shared challenges before us is critical. We are glad to count Henry Schein as a partner in our efforts to ensure every person on earth has equal access to the highest standards of health and healthcare. Joining forces is the fastest way to end the pandemic and to reset our world to create a healthier, more equitable, more prosperous future.”

Dr. Ahmed Al Meraikhi

Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General

“The magnitude of the coronavirus (COVID-19) as the widest and fastest-spreading public health emergency in a century has put a spotlight on global response efforts. There are no shortcuts, and no silver bullets. The answer is a comprehensive approach using every tool available. Under Stan Bergman’s leadership, Henry Schein has played an important role in the fight against COVID-19. As a Founding Member of the Global Humanitarian Action Executive Alliance, Henry Schein has come out in full force to partner with the UN and governments in the fight through promoting key health measures. The virus transmits mainly between close contacts and causes outbreaks that can be controlled. We know that proper mask wearing and social distancing prevent transmission and ultimately can save lives. This is not theory. I applaud entities, like Henry Schein Cares Foundation, who are raising awareness. We must work together, empower, educate and engage communities.”

Lily T. Garcia

DDS, MS, FACP, Dean and Professor, University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Dental Medicine

“Wearing is caring. A simple message but one with incredible impact on everyone around you and especially for your own well-being. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Dental Medicine COVID Response Team implemented engineering- and administrative-control measures early on to continue our operations to the extent possible while doing our best to monitor safety. Our clinics provided urgent care management and emergency dental care, in part, to care for patients that might otherwise go to hospital emergency rooms that were overwhelmed. We worked and continue to work with our dental industry colleagues as they support our profession and our academic dental institutions. When I learned that Henry Schein partnered with ADEA to keep shipping costs low and help distribute FEMA-KN95 masks to dental schools, it is clear our work together helps all of us manage issues in the coming months. With the realization that our colleagues—the dental students—are living in this new reality, I am confident that they are learning to be transformational oral healthcare providers who will help refine what it means to be a dentist, a frontline healthcare provider.”

Linda C. Niessen

DMD, MPH, MPP Dean and Professor, College of Dental Medicine Vice Provost for Oral Health Affairs Kansas City University

“As the country continues to face a deadly pandemic that has killed over 210,000 Americans, short of having a vaccine, a facial covering is the simplest and easiest measure we can take to curb this virus. Science is an evolving process and since the pandemic started, we have learned that some members of our population are at greater risk than others and masks are an effective way to prevent the transmission of this disease. Henry Schein Cares Foundation remains committed to preventing this disease through their ‘Wearing is Caring’ campaign. As a health professional, I want to protect everyone, and proudly support this campaign. Protect yourself, your family, your friends, and those you come into contact with. Take the simple and respectful step of wearing a mask. It will save lives!”

Amid Ismail

BDS, MPH, MBA, DRPH, Dean, Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry, Temple University

“Our knowledge of the course of infection and treatment for COVID-19 is still incomplete. Given this, wearing masks—appropriately—when in contact with any individual is an effective preventive measure, as is disinfecting your hands and face. Fortunately for the dental community, Henry Schein has been at the forefront, delivering dentists the required PPE, and providing updates on available testing, and aerosol management solutions. The company’s mask campaign is another example of their commitment to help customers, and the communities they serve, overcome significant hurdles amid COVID-19.”

Cherae M. Farmer-Dixon

DDS, MSPH, FACD, Dean and Professor, School of Dentistry, Meharry Medical College

“COVID-19 IS A SERIOUS MATTER! It does not discriminate against race, age, sex, or gender. Unfortunately, as the death toll continues to rise in many areas, we are seeing that this virus is significantly impacting the African American community and people of color at a disproportionately higher rate. It is so important that we do as much as we can to fight the spread of this deadly disease by remembering to social distance by at least six feet, stay at home if you have a fever or other COVID-19 related symptoms, and wear a mask while you are away from home. If we all do a little, with this deadly virus, we can do a lot in stopping the spread of the Coronavirus.” #dontbeavector

Andrea D. Jackson

DDS, MS, FACP, FACD, FICD, Dean & Professor, Howard University College of Dentistry

“Wearing of mask is vital to us combatting this devastating virus. The impact of COVID 19 is having an enormous effect on our way of life as we once knew it. The effects are disproportionate in African Americans and other people of color, highlighting the health care disparities that exist in our nation. The guidelines of maintaining social distance and avoiding crowds, vigilant hand hygiene, and most importantly wearing a face covering at all times when in the presence of others, is most important to prevent the spread of this highly infectious virus. We must all continue our vigilance in keeping everyone safe. We are thankful to the continued and invaluable support of Henry Schein, a long-time supporter of health care initiatives, with a special thank you from the dental profession, for all that they continue to do to provide PPE to healthcare workers and those on the front lines to combat this horrible disease. Their partnership with FEMA and ADEA to assist in the low cost shipping/distribution of KN 95 masks to the dental schools is just one example of their continuous support.”

A. Isabel Garcia

D.D.S., M.P.H., Dean of the University of Florida College of Dentistry

“Today it is even more important to continue measures that help slow the spread of COVID-19. Wearing a mask is a simple and highly effective infection control measure. It isn’t a sign of weakness or fear. It is a show of support, solidarity and respect for those who serve us all. To help amplify this message, we support Henry Schein Cares Foundation’s ‘Wearing is Caring’ campaign as it helps raise awareness of health care disparities and wearing of face coverings to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. As dean of the University of Florida College of Dentistry, I realized the impact the approaching pandemic would have on our school’s education, research and patient care missions. With safety as our top priority, our college continued to provide emergency oral care for patients throughout Gainesville and beyond during this crisis. We added a video appointment service, or ‘teledentistry,’ to triage patients, prescribe medications and help our medical colleagues by minimizing the use of hospital emergency departments for dental problems. In the summer, we slowly opened our dental centers and returned to providing normal care with additional precautions. We hope to continue to deliver this essential care, and we will work our partners, such as Henry Schein, to ensure we have what we need to continue to do so, safely.”

Mark S. Wolff

DDS, PhD, Morton Amsterdam Dean, University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine

“A significant number of people in our communities have severe outcomes from this preventable infection. Because this preventable infection has debilitating and deadly effects on the aging population and others who have pre-existing risk factors, such as heart and lung disease, it’s important that we remain vigilant. Together with the Henry Schein Cares Foundation, and in support of its ‘Wearing is Caring’ campaign, UPENN Dental Medicine encourages all to wear a mask, especially when near others, practice safe socially distancing, and use hand sanitizer after touching surfaces. Thank you, Team Schein, for your outstanding support of dentistry and dental schools, for your continued advocacy on important health care issues, and for leading the way in bringing Point of Care testing for SARS-COV2 virus to the dental office and our Universities.”

Watch Dr Wolff’s Video »

Scott S. De Rossi

DMD, MBA, Dean and Professor, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Adams School of Dentistry

“COVID-19 is a highly infectious disease that we are learning more about each day. It is not only the unknowns and the questions that make us take this virus seriously, but also the things we do know. We do know that COVID-19 kills people—and we must take it seriously to protect those we love and those for whom we provide oral health care. We do not know the long-term effects of COVID-19 on those that recover from the virus—and we must take it seriously to try to protect the long-term health of those around us. As health care providers, we have an obligation to our patients and our colleagues to do everything we can to protect them. In order to do that, we must take COVID-19 seriously not only in the dental operatory but in our personal lives. We know wearing a mask works to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Because of this, it is critical to wear a mask to protect those we love, those we provide care for and those with whom we work. ‘Wearing is caring.’ Schein continues to be a leader in global engagement and a critical partner in making the world a better place. Henry Schein has partnered with customers like us through the toughest of times, from economic downturns to natural disasters, and they are here now to help rebuild our capacity at the UNC Adams School of Dentistry. And we are grateful for their partnership. We take our obligation to our patients, our colleagues and our friends seriously to do our part to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We adhere to the highest standard of preventive measures to keep not only our dental community safe, but also the campus and our surrounding community. What lies ahead is difficult to predict, except that oral health care will never be like it was prior to March 2020. Our profession has changed—in some ways, permanently. While I hesitate to speculate on specifics, I think the best service we can do to our profession and our patients is to remain flexible and nimble, and to continue to hold the overall health of our patients as paramount in all our decisions.”