DENTSPLY Joins Forces With DIO

Strategic partnership will allow DENTSPLY to better meet a broader range of customer needs.

DENTSPLY International Inc. has entered into a strategic partnership with DIO Corporation, based in Busan, South Korea. DIO operations include a state-of-the art manufacturing facility in Busan, producing dental implant devices and accessories that are marketed in numerous countries. 

DENTSPLY’s investment includes an initial ownership of less than 20% of DIO Corporation’s outstanding shares, with an additional investment in debentures, which may be converted into common shares after a 1-year period. DIO co-founders Jin Cheol Kim and Jin Baek Kim will retain significant ownership in the company and remain active in the business’s management and operations.

“We are very pleased to enter this strategic partnership with DIO Corporation and look forward to working closely with their management team. Together, our companies have world-class manufacturing capabilities for dental implant production in both Europe and Asia,” says Bret W. Wise, DENTSPLY’s chairman and chief executive officer. “This will allow us to better meet a broader range of customer needs, particularly in emerging markets.”