FORM 8-K


                SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                      WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549



          ----------------------------------------------


                          CURRENT REPORT
              Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                  Securities Exchange Act of 1934


                  Date of Report April 27, 2004
                 (Date of earliest event reported)


                    DENTSPLY INTERNATIONAL INC
          (Exact name of Company as specified in charter)



              Delaware            0-16211       39-1434669
      (State of Incorporation)  (Commission    (IRS Employer
                                File Number)  Identification No.)




         221 West Philadelphia Street, York, Pennsylvania    17405
        (Address of principal executive offices)           (Zip Code)



                          (717) 845-7511
         (Company's telephone number including area code)









Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits (a) Financial Statements - Not applicable. (b) Exhibits: 99.1 The Dentsply International Inc. first quarter 2004 sales and earnings release issued April 27, 2004 as referenced in Item 12. Item 12. - Disclosure of Results of Operations and Financial Condition The following information is furnished pursuant to Item 12, "Disclosure of Results of Operations and Financial Condition." On April 27, 2004, the Company issued a press release disclosing its first quarter 2004 sales and earnings. This earnings release references net sales excluding precious metal content. Due to the fluctuations of precious metal prices and because the precious metal content of the Company's sales is largely a pass-through to customers and has minimal effect on earnings, the Company reports sales both with and without precious metal content to show the Company's performance independent of precious metal price volatility and to enhance comparability of performance between periods. A copy of the Company's press release is attached hereto as Exhibit (99.1) and is hereby incorporated by reference.

SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Company has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized. DENTSPLY INTERNATIONAL INC (Company) /s/ Bret W. Wise Bret W. Wise Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Date: April 28, 2004

NEWS

For Further
Information
Contact:

Bret W. Wise                                        FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Senior Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
(717) 849-4718

                    Dentsply International Inc.
       Reports Record First Quarter 2004 Sales and Earnings


York,  PA  -  April  27,  2004  --  DENTSPLY   International   Inc.
(NASDAQ-XRAY)  today  announced  record  sales and earnings for the
quarter  ended  March  31,  2004.  Net  sales  increased  11.9%  to
$415.4 million  compared to $371.2  million  reported for the first
quarter  of 2003.  Net sales,  excluding  precious  metal  content,
increased  13.3%  in the  first  quarter  of  2004,  reflecting  an
improvement  in the  rate of  organic  growth  and the  benefit  of
currency translation.

Net income  for the first  quarter  of 2004 was $88.8  million,  or
$1.09 per diluted  share.  Income from  continuing  operations  for
the  quarter  was  $45.8  million,  $0.56  per  diluted  share,  an
increase of 19.1%  compared to income  from  continuing  operations
of $37.4  million,  $0.47  per  diluted  share  in  2003.  The 2004
period  includes  pretax  charges  of  $0.7  million   relating  to
restructuring   activities  to  consolidate  the  Company's  United
States  laboratory  businesses  and a reduction  in income taxes of
$1.2  million  related  to tax  matters  from  prior  periods.  The
results  for  2004  also  include  $0.53  per  diluted  share  from
discontinued  operations,  consisting  primarily of the net gain on
the sale of the  Company's  Gendex  equipment  business  which  was
completed in February 2004.

Gary  K.  Kunkle,   Vice  Chairman  and  Chief  Executive   Officer
commented  that,  "We are pleased by the record  performance in the
first  quarter of 2004,  particularly  the  improvement  in overall
sales growth.  Our growth  throughout  Europe was  exceptional  and
we  benefited  from a return  to strong  growth in Asia.  While our
sales growth in the United States  remains below  historic  levels,
market  indicators  suggest an  improvement  in this  country as we
move through the year."

Mr.  Kunkle  also  said,  "In the first  quarter we  completed  the
relocation   of  our   distribution   center  in   Europe   without
disruption  of  deliveries  to  customers.  This should allow us to
improve future  deliveries and customer  service levels  throughout
the  European  Community  where  we  have  experienced  significant
growth  over  the past two  years.  The  Company  also  expects  to
complete the  consolidation  of the U.S.  laboratory  businesses in
the second  quarter of 2004.  We continue to see  opportunities  to
grow  earnings  through  combining  resources  and lowering  costs.
These  conditions,  combined  with an outlook  for  stronger  sales
growth, position us well for another record year in 2004."





DENTSPLY Conference Call Information DENTSPLY will hold a conference call on Wednesday, April 28, 2004 at 8:30 AM Eastern Time. To access the call, dial (877) 885-5820 (for domestic calls) and (706) 643-9578 (for international calls). This conference call will be broadcast live on the Internet at www.dentsply.com. An audio replay of the conference call will be available for two weeks. To access the replay, please dial (800) 642-1687 (for domestic calls) and (706) 645-9291 (for international calls). Call I.D.: 6651354. 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. This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding future events or the future financial performance of the company. Actual events or results may differ materially from those in the projections or other forward-looking statements set forth herein as a result of certain risk factors. These risk factors include without limitation; the continued strength of dental markets, the timing, success and market reception for our new and existing products, and changes in the general economic environment that could affect our business. For an additional description of risk factors, please refer to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

DENTSPLY INTERNATIONAL INC. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (IN THOUSANDS EXCEPT PER SHARE DATA) THREE MONTHS ENDED March 31, ------------------------------ 2004 2003 ------------- -------------- NET SALES $415,381 $371,236 NET SALES - Ex Precious Metals $359,004 $316,886 COST OF PRODUCTS SOLD 210,524 188,474 GROSS PROFIT 204,857 182,762 % OF NET SALES 49.3% 49.2% % OF NET SALES - Ex Precious Metals 57.1% 57.7% SELLING, GENERAL & ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES 134,027 122,238 RESTRUCTURING (INCOME)/COSTS 724 0 ------------- -------------- INCOME FROM OPERATIONS 70,106 60,524 % OF NET SALES 16.9% 16.3% % OF NET SALES - Ex Precious Metals 19.5% 19.1% NET INTEREST AND OTHER EXPENSE (INCOME) 5,496 5,318 ------------- -------------- PRE-TAX INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS 64,610 55,206 INCOME TAXES 18,842 17,767 ------------- -------------- INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS 45,768 37,439 % OF NET SALES 11.0% 10.1% % OF NET SALES - Ex Precious Metals 12.7% 11.8% INCOME FROM DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS, NET OF TAX (INCLUDING GAIN ON SALE IN 2004 OF $43,031) 43,064 828 ------------- -------------- NET INCOME $88,832 $38,267 ============= ============== EARNINGS PER SHARE - BASIC: CONTINUING OPERATIONS $0.57 $0.48 DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS $0.54 $0.01 ------------- -------------- TOTAL EARNINGS PER SHARE $1.11 $0.49 ============= ============== EARNINGS PER SHARE - DILUTIVE: CONTINUING OPERATIONS $0.56 $0.47 DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS $0.53 $0.01 ------------- -------------- TOTAL EARNINGS PER SHARE $1.09 $0.48 ============= ============== DIVIDENDS PER SHARE $0.0525 $0.0460 WEIGHTED AVERAGE NUMBER OF COMMON SHARES OUTSTANDING -BASIC 79,922 78,442 -DILUTIVE 81,501 80,007

DENTSPLY INTERNATIONAL INC. CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS (IN THOUSANDS) MARCH 31, DECEMBER 31, 2004 2003 ASSETS CURRENT ASSETS: CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS $ 287,710 $ 163,755 ACCOUNTS AND NOTES RECEIVABLE-TRADE, NET 248,387 241,385 INVENTORIES, NET 207,836 205,587 OTHER CURRENT ASSETS 89,711 88,463 ASSETS HELD FOR SALE -- 28,262 TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS 833,644 727,452 PROPERTY,PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, NET 374,567 376,211 GOODWILL, NET 957,119 963,264 IDENTIFIABLE INTANGIBLES ASSETS, NET 241,837 246,475 OTHER NONCURRENT ASSETS, NET 108,116 114,736 ASSETS HELD FOR SALE -- 17,449 TOTAL ASSETS $2,515,283 $2,445,587 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY: CURRENT LIABILITIES $ 322,702 $ 337,684 LIABILITIES OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS -- 1,269 LONG-TERM DEBT 787,467 790,202 OTHER LIABILITIES 143,394 142,704 DEFERRED INCOME TAXES 47,792 51,241 TOTAL LIABILITIES 1,301,355 1,323,100 MINORITY INTEREST IN CONSOLIDATED SUBSIDIARIES 313 418 STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY 1,213,615 1,122,069 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY $2,515,283 $2,445,587