DENTSPLY International's origins can be traced back to 1899 but the company, as it is now, was created by a merger of the DENTSPLY and GENDEX on June 11, 1993. The merger was structured as pooling-of-interests for financial and accounting purposes. DENTSPLY was founded in 1899 as a manufacturer and distributor of artificial teeth and dental consumable products. GENDEX was founded in 1983 and was the leading manufacturer of dental x-ray equipment and handpieces in the U.S. DENTSPLY International is committed to the development of innovative, high quality, costeffective new products for the dental market. Ontop of DENTSPLY International's many brand names the company also has divisions all over the world including Ceramco, GAC, Gendex, Maillefer, MPL Technologies, Ransom & Randolph, Rinn, Trubyte and Tulsa in North America; Ash Instruments, CIS, DeGussa Dental, DeTrey-DeDent, DeTrey-DeTech, Gendex-Italia, VDW and Fraiadent in Europe.