DENTSPLY International
                                                World Headquarters
                                                Susquehanna Commerce Center
                                                221 West Philadelphia Street
                                                York, PA 17405-0872
                                                (717) 849-4273
                                                Fax (717) 849-4760

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         George R. Rhodes                           FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
         Vice President
         Corporate Communications
         (717) 849-4273




                DR. WENDY L. DIXON APPOINTED DENTSPLY DIRECTOR


York, PA - July 6, 2005 - DENTSPLY International Inc.  (Nasdaq-XRAY)  announced
today  that  Dr.  Wendy  L.  Dixon  was  appointed  as a new  Director  to  the
Company's  Board,  with her initial term expiring at the conclusion of the 2006
Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

Dr. Dixon holds the position of President,  Global  Marketing,  Chief Marketing
Officer for Bristol-Myers  Squibb Company, a $19 billion global  pharmaceutical
company.  In this position,  she is responsible  for leading the  Bristol-Myers
Squibb  Global  Marketing  group to  commercialize  new products and  establish
strategies  for  existing  products.   She  joined   Bristol-Myers   Squibb  in
December 2001 and also serves on the Company's Executive Committee.

Prior to joining  Bristol-Myers  Squibb,  Dr. Dixon held  executive  management
positions at Merck & Company from 1996 through  November  2001,  most  recently
as Senior Vice President  Marketing.  Prior to her position at Merck,  she held
management  positions at several companies,  including  Osteotech and Centocor,
where she established that company's  European  biologies  business.  She began
her career as a biochemist at SmithKline,  and  subsequently  held  regulatory,
marketing and strategy positions there.

Dr. Dixon earned her  Bachelor  and Masters  degrees in Natural  Sciences and a
Ph.D. in biochemistry at Cambridge University in England.

Mr. Gary K. Kunkle,  Jr.,  Chairman  and Chief  Executive,  said,  "DENTSPLY is
extremely  pleased  and  fortunate  to have an  executive  with the  skills and
experience  of Dr.  Dixon as a member  of our  Board of  Directors  and we look
forward to her contributions to our continued success."



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DENTSPLY  designs,  develops,   manufactures  and  markets  a  broad  range  of
products for the dental  market.  The Company  believes  that it is the world's
leading  manufacturer  and  distributor of dental  prosthetics,  precious metal
dental  alloys,   dental  ceramics,   endodontic   instruments  and  materials,
prophylaxis paste, dental sealants,  ultrasonic  scalers,  and crown and bridge
materials;  the leading United States  manufacturer  and  distributor of dental
handpieces,    dental    x-ray   film    holders,    film   mounts   and   bone
substitute/grafting   materials;   and  a  leading  worldwide  manufacturer  or
distributor   of   dental   injectible   anesthetics,   impression   materials,
orthodontic  appliances,  dental cutting  instruments and dental implants.  The
Company  distributes  its dental  products in over 120 countries  under some of
the most well established brand names in the industry.

DENTSPLY  is  committed  to  the  development  of  innovative,   high  quality,
cost-effective new products for the dental market.


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