<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001012975-05-000243
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20050811
<FILING-DATE>20050812
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20050812
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>BENJAMIN GERALD A
<CIK>0001194346
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-27078
<FILM-NUMBER>051022622
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O HENRY SCHEIN INC
<STREET2>135 DURYEA RD
<CITY>MELVILLE
<STATE>NY
<ZIP>11747
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>SCHEIN HENRY INC
<CIK>0001000228
<ASSIGNED-SIC>5047
<IRS-NUMBER>113136595
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1226
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>135 DURYEA RD
<CITY>MELVILLE
<STATE>NY
<ZIP>11747
<PHONE>6318425500X6867
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>135 DURYEA RD
<CITY>MELVILLE
<STATE>NY
<ZIP>11747
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-08-11</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001000228</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>SCHEIN HENRY INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>HSIC</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

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            <rptOwnerName>BENJAMIN GERALD A</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O HENRY SCHEIN, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>135 DURYEA ROAD</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MELVILLE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>11747</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Executive Vice President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, Par Value $0.01</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-08-11</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>30000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>41320</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
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                <natureOfOwnership>
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                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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            </transactionAmounts>
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            <ownershipNature>
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                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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            <ownershipNature>
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        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
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            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
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            <transactionCoding>
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                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
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                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>14.3125</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
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                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
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                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
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                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
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                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
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                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>19.9375</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-08-11</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>30000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2008-03-17</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>30000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>10.75</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-08-11</value>
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            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2598</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2009-04-06</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
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                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
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                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2850</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
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                <natureOfOwnership>
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                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
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            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
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            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-08-12</value>
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            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2850</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
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                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2009-04-06</value>
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            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
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                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
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                </underlyingSecurityShares>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
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        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
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            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>14.3125</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
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                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
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                    <value>4456</value>
                </transactionShares>
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                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
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            <expirationDate>
                <value>2011-03-01</value>
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                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
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                <underlyingSecurityShares>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>39544</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
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                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Acquired pursuant to the Issuer's 1994 Stock Incentive Plan.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The option vested in three equal installments on March 17, 1999, March 17, 2000 and March 17, 2001.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The option vested in three equal installments on April 6, 2000, April 6, 2001 and April 6, 2002.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The option vested in three equal installments on March 1, 2002, March 1, 2003 and March 1, 2004.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Gerald A. Benjamin</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-08-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
