SEGMENT INFORMATION Intersegment Net Sales (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2011		Jun. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2011
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Eliminations	$ (161,252)		$ (159,532)		$ (312,469)		$ (309,053)
Total	0		0		0		0
Dental Consumable and Laboratrory Businesses [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Intersegment net sales	58,486		55,636		112,887		111,006
Orthodontics/Canada/Mexico/Japan [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Intersegment net sales	1,054		953		2,233		1,937
Select Distribution Businesses [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Intersegment net sales	2,974		3,729		6,292		7,477
Implants/Endodontics/Healthcare/Pacific Rim [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Intersegment net sales	42,409		43,756		80,748		81,798
All Other
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Intersegment net sales	$ 56,329	[1]	$ 55,458	[1]	$ 110,309	[1]	$ 106,835	[1]

[1] (a) Includes amounts recorded at Corporate headquarters and one distribution warehouse not managed by named segments.