Henry Schein, ADEA donate masks for dental schools, programs

The American Dental Education Association (ADEA) and Henry Schein are distributing nearly 3 million masks to 290 US dental schools and allied programs. The ADEA, Henry Schein, Inc., and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have partnered for an initiative that will provide dental schools and allied dental education programs with KN95 masks for patient care.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ADEA and Henry Schein coordinated FEMA’s donation of KN95 masks to the ADEA to support the return of routine dental care and oral health education services. The much-needed masks were produced by 3M.

Henry Schein will distribute the FEMA-donated masks to dental schools and programs within the US that request a portion of masks from the ADEA. Dental schools and allied dental programs that make a request are only being charged for shipping and handling.

“We believe this is a great example of how public and private organizations can join together to serve our community of dental educators and oral health professionals,” said ADEA President and CEO Karen West, D.M.D., M.P.H. “ADEA is committed to helping our member institutions, and the dental education community at large, successfully navigate the rapidly changing landscape before us. Providing these KN95 masks is one crucial step in supporting safe dental care. Working together, we can meet today’s challenges and further strengthen dental education.”

The #Masks4DentEd initiative is the ADEA’s latest campaign to help members in academic dentistry during the pandemic. The organization has also created a complimentary online resource guide that offers information to student affairs and enrollment management teams. In addition, the ADEA has produced several webinars providing guidance to dental educators and administrators.

“We are privileged that ADEA approached us for assistance to secure and distribute the KN95 masks to dental schools and dental education programs,” said Stanley M. Bergman, chairman and CEO of Henry Schein, Inc. “As part of Henry Schein’s dedication to ‘helping health happen,’ this partnership represents our mutual commitment to protect the health, safety, and well-being of students and faculty, as well as the patients they serve.”

For more information, visit adea.org or henryschein.com.