EXHIBIT 23.1

                       Consent of Independent Accountants

We hereby  consent to the  incorporation  by reference in the  Registration
Statements on Form S-8 (Nos. 33-41775,  33-52616,  33-71792, 33-79094, 33-89786,
and  333-56093)  and  Registration  Statement  on Form  S-3 (No.  333-76089)  of
DENTSPLY  International  Inc. of our report dated  January 19, 2001,  except for
Note 15, as to which the date is March 7,  2001,  relating  to the  consolidated
balance sheets as of December 31, 2000 and the related  consolidated  statements
of income,  of  stockholders'  equity and of cash flows for the year then ended,
which appears in the Annual Report to  Shareholders,  which is  incorporated  in
this  Annual  Report on Form  10-K.  We also  consent  to the  incorporation  by
reference of our report  relating to the  financial  statement  schedule,  which
appears in this Form 10-K.

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Philadelphia, PA
March 16, 2001


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