Why This Matters to Distributors: Henry Schein’s approach shows how AI can extend a distributor’s role in customers’ daily operations. Software that supports billing, documentation and patient care can strengthen relationships beyond the supply order.
Henry Schein is expanding artificial intelligence tools in its dental practice software while prioritizing AI and supply chain technology to improve its own operations, CEO Fred Lowery said during the company’s Nov. 3 earnings call.
Lowery said Henry Schein One is embedding capabilities that help practices improve collections, patient engagement, and productivity. The tools support “identifying revenue opportunities, automating administrative work,” he said, as customers contend with staffing constraints and rising costs.
Applications include clinical documentation, insurance eligibility, claims and collections, diagnostics, and treatment support. 13,500 customers subscribe to the Dentrix Ascend and Dentally cloud platforms, with approximately 200 net new customers added monthly; those figures cover overall platform adoption.
Lowery said technology growth was being led by “our cloud-based platforms and our new AI-enabled solutions.” He also linked closer software relationships with opportunities to expand supply sales to those practices.
Inside the company, Lowery identified AI capabilities and supply chain tools among initiatives being prioritized to “improve efficiency, reduce inventory, and simplify processes.” The discussion did not quantify AI-specific savings or investment.
The expansion comes as Henry Schein reports higher sales and earnings. For the third quarter ended Sept. 26, sales increased 4% to $3.47 billion from $3.34 billion a year earlier. Net income attributable to Henry Schein increased 17.8% to $119 million from $101 million.
For the first nine months of 2026, sales increased 5.6% to $10.30 billion from $9.75 billion in the comparable 2025 period. Net income attributable to the company rose 7.7% to $320 million from $297 million.
Global technology sales increased 5.2% in the quarter, including 6.5% internal growth, partially offset by a business disposal. U.S. dental merchandise sales rose 8.6%, driven primarily by higher volume from market share gains, the company said.
Do not miss any content from Distribution Strategy Group. Join our list.
Share this article:
