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FOLA holds Leadership Breakfast at GNYDM

Stanley M. Bergman, chairman and CEO of Henry Schein, speaks at the FOLA Leadership Breakfast. Behind him is Dr. Lauro Medrano Saldana, who translated Bergman’s remarks into Spanish. (DTI/Photo Fred Michmershuizen, DTA)
Javier Martínez de Pisón, Dental Tribune Latin America

Javier Martínez de Pisón, Dental Tribune Latin America

Tue. 29 November 2011

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NEW YORK, NY, USA: Presidents of Latin American dental associations were joined by representatives from Henry Schein and federal and state government officials for the Federación Odontológica Latinoamericana (FOLA) 2011 Leadership Breakfast, held Monday, Nov. 28, during the 87th annual Greater New York Dental Meeting (GNYDM).

Stanley M. Bergman, chairman and CEO of Henry Schein, who received the 2011 Hispanic Dental Association (HAD) Humanitarian Award, said that the Hispanic community is a constituency that keeps on growing in the United States.

Schein is interested in the demographic changes taking place in the United States. It is projected that by 2023 most of the population will have roots in other countries, the majority from Latin America. Bergman singled out the partnership of Schein with the HDA, which is dedicated to helping Hispanic dental professionals and students in the United States.

HDA president Margo Melchor invited guests to attend the first Multicultural Oral Health Summit, that will take place in July 2012 in Boca Ratón, Fla., sponsored by Schein.

Steve Kess, vice president of global professional relations for Henry Schein, introduced FOLA President Dr. Adolfo Rodríguez, who said that the partnership between Schein and FOLA should continue because it benefits dentists and patients alike.

“Dentistry has to walk together to be able to build and road where we can all succeed,” said Rodríguez, who also mentioned that he will be leaving his post as FOLA president in 2012, but that he hopes to have contributed to strengthening the relationship between Schein and Latin American dentistry.

New York State Senator Adolfo Espaillat said that organizations supported by Schein, such as the Dominican Dental Association – USA, are very important because their members work in their communities and provide high quality health care to people that otherwise would not be able to afford it.

Aditi Palli, international trade specialist of the U.S. Department of Commerce, said that Greater New York Dental Meeting has been a long-time participant of the buyer program, which brings foreign businesses to the United States. Palli said that growth in this sector has been strong.

This is the second year in a row that Schein sponsored an event honoring Hispanic and Latin American dentistry. The event was also sponsored by GNYDM and Henry Schein Cares, an important program that has delivered health products and equipment in disaster areas, such as New Orleans after hurricane Katrina and Haiti after the 2010 earthquake.

Also attending the breakfast were FDI President Dr. Orlando Monteiro da Silva; Dr. Adriano Forghieri, president of the Sao Paulo Dental Association; Dr. Ricardo Martínez Lalis, president of the Argentinean Dental Association; Lauro Medrano, GNYDM board member; Dr. John Halikias, GNYDM general chairman; and Jaime Donado, president of the Colombia Dental Federation.

The event ended with the projection of a video showing the work performed throughout the years by Henry Schein Cares, and a group photo of the main figures in Hispanic and Latin American dentistry.

 

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