DENTSPLY International Inc. Announces Collaborative Agreement With IDMoS PLC For Caries Detection And Monitoring Technology

York, PA - DENTSPLY International Inc. today announced a long-term collaborative agreement with IDMoS Dental Systems Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of IDMoS plc ("IDMoS") for the commercialization of IDMoS' caries detection and monitoring technology. IDMoS was formed in 2001 to commercialize patented disease detection technology, based on AC Impedance Spectroscopy Technique (ACIST), developed by its founders and the University of Dundee and the University of St Andrews in Scotland. Under the agreement, DENTSPLY will have exclusive worldwide rights to market products based on the technology and IDMoS will be responsible for further development of the technology.

Gary Kunkle, Chairman and CEO, commented that, "The IDMoS technology brings unique capabilities to preventive dentistry in the area of caries detection and monitoring. This technology appears to have clinical benefits significantly beyond other devices and technologies in the market today, including radiology. In partnering with IDMoS we have obtained access to the ACIST technology, as well as the highly talented IDMoS management team in the field of Cariology. We are very pleased to enter into a long-term relationship with IDMoS and anticipate that the initial products, in a family of potential products, will be launched in 2006."

Professor Nigel Pitts, of the University of Dundee and Co-Founder of IDMoS, commented that, "This collaboration will allow both companies to support the dental professional with new tools to help advance the clinical management of dental caries. The use of the AC Impedance Spectroscopy Technique will facilitate the objective detection of both early-stage and later-stage disease in order to assist improvements in preventive and operative care. This technology will also help dentists help their patients by providing clear patient information and allowing the safe monitoring of caries without the concerns associated with ionizing radiation."

SOURCE: DENTSPLY International Inc.