June 21, 2023 – Henry Schein will support the Special Olympics Healthy Athletes® screenings at the Special Olympics World Games, that take place from 17 to 25 June 2023 in Berlin, Germany, by donating a range of oral health and medical products essential to overall health and wellness. The Healthy Athletes program offers health screenings and education to participating Special Olympics athletes with the goal of promoting healthy lifestyle choices and identifying problems that may need additional follow-up care.
Henry Schein has supported Special Olympics since 2018 donating essential health care products to support programs in the United States, Canada, Germany, Israel, Jamaica, and the United Kingdom. Through this partnership, the Company has been named a Special Olympics health provider partner.
According to Special Olympics, an organization recognized by the International Olympic Committee, people with intellectual disabilities are frequently among the most medically vulnerable populations in any country, despite severe need and higher health risks.
Henry Schein’s donations will be used during the Special Olympic World Games for screenings in five of the Healthy Athletes disciplines, including Special Smiles, which provides athletes with comprehensive oral health care information, free dental screenings, instructions on proper brushing and flossing techniques, and if needed, a referral to a dental care provider at home trained to treat people with intellectual disabilities. Henry Schein’s donations also support Fit Feet (podiatry), FUNFitness (physical therapy), Health Promotion (prevention and nutrition), and Strong Minds (emotional health).
Since its inception in 1997, Healthy Athletes has delivered over two million free health screenings and trained over 300,000 health care professionals, clinical volunteers, and students in using adapted screening protocols and in communicating effectively with people with intellectual disabilities. These trainings also aid in building the health care community’s capacity to serve the needs of people with intellectual disabilities outside of Special Olympics events, as providers take these skills back to their practices and provide higher quality health care to people with intellectual disabilities – not just Special Olympic athletes – in their communities.