Henry Schein, Inc. and Special Olympics have extended their partnership through 2030, continuing a collaboration that provides health screening supplies, education, and wellness resources for athletes at select Special Olympics events around the world.
The partnership began in 2018 and includes Henry Schein's donation of oral health and medical care products to the Special Olympics Healthy Athletes® program. The program provides free health screenings for people with intellectual disabilities and offers healthcare professionals and students training in treating and communicating with this population.
According to Special Olympics, people with intellectual disabilities face barriers to healthcare despite higher health risks and have an average life expectancy 16 years shorter than the general population.
Since 1997, Healthy Athletes has provided more than 2 million free health screenings to Special Olympics athletes worldwide and trained more than 300,000 healthcare professionals and students to care for people with intellectual disabilities. The program addresses physical and social-emotional well-being and health disparities.
“Creating healthier communities requires collaboration and sustained commitment, principles that have been central to Henry Schein since our founding in 1932,” said Kyle Guerin, director, corporate social responsibility, Henry Schein Cares, at Henry Schein. “Extending our partnership with Special Olympics reflects our shared belief that every individual deserves the opportunity to achieve better health and well-being. We are proud to continue supporting programs that help expand access to care, foster inclusion, and equip healthcare professionals with the resources and experience to better serve people with intellectual disabilities.”
Henry Schein's donations are used for screenings across Healthy Athletes disciplines that include Special Olympics Fit Feet for podiatry, FUNfitness for physical therapy, Health Promotion for preventative medicine, Healthy Hearing for audiology, Lions Clubs International Foundation Opening Eyes® for vision and eye health, MedFest® for sports physical exams, Special Smiles® for dentistry, and Strong Minds for mental health. Donations also support Special Olympics Healthy Young Athletes, the pediatric discipline of Healthy Athletes.
The donated supplies are used in several countries, including Germany and the United States. Henry Schein recently provided healthcare products for the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games, held June 20-26 in Minneapolis. The event brought together approximately 3,000 athletes, 1,500 coaches, 10,000 volunteers, and 75,000 fans representing all 50 states.
“Long-term partnerships are essential to creating lasting change in health outcomes for people with intellectual disabilities,” said Dr. Dimitri Christakis, Special Olympics chief health officer. “Henry Schein has been a valued partner in helping us reach athletes with critical health services, education, and support. Together, we are working toward a future where quality healthcare is accessible, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of every individual.”
Henry Schein's donations to Healthy Athletes are made through Henry Schein Cares, the company's global corporate citizenship program, which is marking its 25th anniversary in 2026.
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