<ARTICLE>  5
<LEGEND>
                                                                    EXHIBIT 27.1

                       HENRY SCHEIN, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                             FINANCIAL DATA SCHEDULE

The  schedule  contains   summary  financial  information  extracted   from  the
consolidated financial statements and is  qualified in its entirety by reference
to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>

<MULTIPLIER>  1,000
       
                                          
<PERIOD-TYPE>                          3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                      DEC-28-1996 
<PERIOD-START>                         DEC-31-1995 
<PERIOD-END>                           MAR-30-1996 
<CASH>                                       7,500 
<SECURITIES>                                     0 
<RECEIVABLES>                              104,859 
<ALLOWANCES>                                (2,734)
<INVENTORY>                                 87,897 
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                           225,550 
<PP&E>                                      65,936 
<DEPRECIATION>                             (35,120)
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                             303,733 
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                      101,495 
<BONDS>                                     55,562 
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                            0 
<PREFERRED>                                      0 
<COMMON>                                       183 
<OTHER-SE>                                 144,757 
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>               303,733 
<SALES>                                    185,359 
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                           185,359 
<CGS>                                      130,410 
<TOTAL-COSTS>                              130,410 
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                            50,245 
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                36 
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                             961 
<INCOME-PRETAX>                              4,041 
<INCOME-TAX>                                 1,783 
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                          2,464 
<DISCONTINUED>                                   0 
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                  0 
<CHANGES>                                        0 
<NET-INCOME>                                 2,464 
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                 0.13
<EPS-DILUTED>                                 0.13