“We are entering a golden age for the dental profession”

Mr Albertini, at IDS 2023, we spoke about post-pandemic challenges that were affecting the dental market, including patient retention and workforce shortages. What challenges are clinics facing this year, and have market conditions improved in the last two years?
We remain very optimistic about the long-term future of dentistry, and indeed, we believe that we are entering a golden age of technological innovation and progress in the profession. At this time, we continue to see relatively stable patient traffic, and Henry Schein itself saw solid growth in equipment sales globally in the fourth quarter, which is an indicator that dental practices are investing in the future and share our optimism. 

We believe that the greatest challenges facing dental practices today are workforce shortages and the rapid adoption of technology. But these are solvable challenges, and Henry Schein looks forward to contributing to the solution. 

In your opinion, which recent advancements have had the biggest impact on daily clinical tasks, and how has Henry Schein responded?
Two advancements stand out in particular. The first is artificial intelligence (AI). This technology is revolutionising the identification of oral diseases, providing dental practices with the opportunity to enhance preventive care, especially when used together with products such as Curodont. The second is 3D printing. By facilitating faster and more expansive treatment options, it is quickly becoming a definitive way to set practices apart. Now, thanks to advancements in 3D-printing materials, clinicians can fabricate a wide range of dental restorations. 

Henry Schein announced in January that private equity firm KKR would become its largest non-index fund shareholder and would appoint two of its executives to the board. What can you tell us about the new collaboration and what it will mean for customers?
We believe that KKR recognised that Henry Schein is a well-managed business and that there are many opportunities for us to drive growth through our unique offering, including leveraging our product portfolio across our businesses and providing new products and services to our customers. KKR knows the dental market and is excited to partner with us to drive innovation for the ultimate benefit of practitioners and patients. 

What can visitors expect from Henry Schein at this year’s IDS, and how can they get involved?
Henry Schein’s theme for IDS 2025 is “Because so many rely on your team, you can rely on us.” As we have done at each IDS, Henry Schein is presenting a selection of dental business solutions that can help dental teams grow. This includes clinical solutions to help improve patient outcomes, technology solutions to support dental practice efficiency, and supply chain solutions to ensure timely delivery of the right products. We encourage dental teams to visit the Henry Schein exhibit to discuss what the future of dentistry looks like with our highly experienced and dedicated team. 

Lastly, Henry Schein’s dental equipment sales were strong in 2024, global equipment sales growth being up by 2.9%. Is this result an indication that dental clinics are returning to higher levels of capital investment?
Historically, capital investment has been the strongest demonstration by a customer of the future growth prospects of a dental practice and the industry as a whole. Strong equipment sales are one of the many reasons why we are optimistic about the long-term future of dentistry and why we believe we are entering a golden age for the dental profession. 

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