Contact:                            FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
George Rhodes
Vice President
Corporate Communications
(717) 849-4273




             Gary K. Kunkle, Jr., now Chairman of DENTSPLY Board


York,  PA - May 11, 2005 - DENTSPLY  International  Inc.  (NASDAQ:XRAY)  today
announced  that Mr. Gary K. Kunkle,  Jr.,  Vice  Chairman and Chief  Executive
Officer,  was  appointed  Chairman of the Board  during the Board of Directors
Meeting  held today.  In this  position,  he succeeds Mr. John C. Miles II who
has served as  Chairman  of the  DENTSPLY  Board since mid - 1998 and who will
continue to serve as a Director of the Company.

Mr.  Kunkle joined  DENTSPLY in January 1997 as President and Chief  Operating
Officer and was  appointed  to the Board of  Directors  in March 2002.  He was
elected Chief  Executive  Officer of the Company in late December 2003.  Prior
to this,  he had a most  successful  career  spanning  more than 20 years with
Johnson &  Johnson,  a premier  global  healthcare  company.  His most  recent
position  was  as  President  of  J&J's  Jacksonville,  FL  -  based  Vistakon
Division.

Mr. Kunkle  received his  Bachelor's  degree in marketing  from the University
of South  Carolina,  The Moore School of  Business,  which  recognized  him in
2001 as a distinguished  alumnus.  He is a member of the Board of Directors of
the Perigo Company  (NASDAQ:PRGO)  and is an active member of the Dental Trade
Alliance.









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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