v2.4.0.8

Employee Benefit Plans - Other Employee Benefits (Details) (USD $) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 28, 2013 | Dec. 29, 2012 | Dec. 31, 2011
Management [Member] | Deferred compensation bonus and commission plan [Member] |  |  |
Deferred Compensation Arrangement with Individual, Excluding Share-based Payments and Postretirement Benefits [Line Items] |  |  |
Deferred compensation plan fair market value amount charged (credited) to operations | $ 1,100,000 | $ 300,000 | $ 0
Qualified 401K plan [Member] |  |  |
Defined Contribution Plan Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Amounts charged (credited) to operations | 25,300,000 | 23,800,000 | 23,000,000
Qualified 401K plan [Member] | Maximum [Member] |  |  |
Defined Contribution Plan Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Maximum matching contributions as a percentage of participants' contributions (in hundredths) | 100.00% |  |
Maximum participants' contributions as a percentage of their base compensation (in hundredths) | 7.00% |  |
Allowable maximum percentage of contributions allocated to Henry Schein Stock Fund (in hundredths) | 20.00% |  |
Supplemental executive retirement plan [Member] |  |  |
Defined Contribution Plan Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Amounts charged (credited) to operations | $ 4,100,000 | $ 2,100,000 | $ 700,000

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- Definition The compensation expense recognized during the period pertaining to the deferred compensation arrangement. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5047-113901 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 710 -SubTopic 10 -Section 30 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6409875&loc=d3e20015-108363 + Details
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- Definition The amount of the cost recognized during the period for defined contribution plans. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 70 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6414718&loc=d3e28014-114942 + Details
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- Definition Percentage of employees' gross pay for which the employer contributes a matching contribution to a defined contribution plan. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Maximum percentage of employee gross pay the employee may contribute to a defined contribution plan. + References No definition available. + Details
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