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 October 26, 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 2.02. - Results of Operations and Financial Condition The following information is furnished pursuant to Item 2.02, "Results of Operations and Financial Condition." On October 26, 2004, the Company issued a press release disclosing its third 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. Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits (a) Financial Statements - Not applicable. (b) Exhibits: 99.1 The Dentsply International Inc. third quarter 2004 sales and earnings release issued October 26, 2004 as referenced in Item 2.02.

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: October 26, 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 Third Quarter 2004 Sales and Earnings


York,  PA  -  October  26,  2004  --  DENTSPLY  International  Inc.
(NASDAQ-XRAY)  today  announced  record  sales and earnings for the
quarter  ended  September  30, 2004.  Net sales  increased  4.0% to
$390.6 million  compared to $375.5  million  reported for the third
quarter  of 2003.  Net sales,  excluding  precious  metal  content,
increased 5.1% in the third quarter of 2004.

Net income for the third quarter of 2004 was $46.7  million,  ($.57
per diluted  share).  Income from  continuing  operations was $46.3
million  ($.57 per diluted  share) in the 2004 quarter  compared to
$40.3 million ($.50 per diluted  share) in the 2003 third  quarter,
a 14.0%  increase  in diluted  earnings  per share from  continuing
operations.  The third quarter of 2004 includes  pretax  charges of
$2.1 million  related to  restructuring  activities and a reduction
of income taxes of $2.9  million  related to tax matters from prior
periods.

For the nine months ended  September 30, 2004, net sales  increased
7.9% and sales  excluding  precious metal content  increased  8.5%.
Earnings from  continuing  operations  were $1.73 per diluted share
in the first nine  months of 2004,  a 14.6%  increase  compared  to
the 2003 period.  The results for the nine months  ended  September
2004   includes   pretax   charges  of  $3.2  million   related  to
restructuring  activities  and in reduction of income taxes of $4.1
million related to tax matters from prior periods.

Gary  K.  Kunkle,   Vice  Chairman  and  Chief  Executive  Officer,
commented  that,  "During the third  quarter we saw slowing  trends
in our sales in  certain  regions  of two key  markets,  the United
States  and  Europe.  We believe  that these  trends are short term
and will not continue into 2005.  Despite the  temporary  slow down
in these  regions,  we are pleased to  continue  to deliver  record
earnings  performance  based on strong  brand  recognition  for our
key products and continued investment in new product innovations."


Mr. Kunkle also stated that, "We are also pleased to announce that we continue to gain access to new technologies that have exciting opportunities in dentistry. We recently completed an agreement with Doxa AB to develop and commercialize products within the dental field based upon Doxa's bioactive ceramic technology. The Doxa technology is designed to induce chemical integration between the material and dentition or bone structure. This is a perfect example of the kind of technology investment we are prepared to make in order to meet the future needs of dentistry. We have also accelerated our collaboration with Georgia Tech on several new potential product innovations, and during October we launched our new dental anesthetic, Oraqix. In total, we have launched eighteen new products through three quarters and expect to launch seven more new products during the fourth quarter of 2004." DENTSPLY will hold a conference call on Wednesday, October 27, 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.: 8763464. 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 NINE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, SEPTEMBER 30, ----------------------------- ------------------------------ 2004 2003 2004 2003 ------------- ------------- -------------- -------------- NET SALES $ 390,592 $ 375,503 $ 1,231,298 $ 1,141,217 NET SALES - Ex Precious Metals 345,480 328,771 1,078,271 993,855 COST OF PRODUCTS SOLD 191,548 191,702 614,496 576,579 GROSS PROFIT 199,044 183,801 616,802 564,638 % OF NET SALES 51.0% 48.9% 50.1% 49.5% % OF NET SALES - Ex Precious Metals 57.6% 55.9% 57.2% 56.8% SELLING, GENERAL & ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES 128,825 120,020 397,855 370,493 RESTRUCTURING COSTS 2,108 - 3,165 - ------------- ------------- -------------- -------------- INCOME FROM OPERATIONS 68,111 63,781 215,782 194,145 % OF NET SALES 17.4% 17.0% 17.5% 17.0% % OF NET SALES - Ex Precious Metals 19.7% 19.4% 20.0% 19.5% NET INTEREST AND OTHER EXPENSE 5,543 4,199 16,253 15,046 ------------- ------------- -------------- -------------- PRE-TAX INCOME 62,568 59,582 199,529 179,099 INCOME TAXES 16,225 19,295 58,196 57,923 ------------- ------------- -------------- -------------- INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS 46,343 40,287 141,333 121,176 % OF NET SALES 11.9% 10.7% 11.5% 10.6% % OF NET SALES - Ex Precious Metals 13.4% 12.3% 13.1% 12.2% INCOME FROM DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS, NET OF TAX (INCLUDING GAIN ON SALE IN 2004 OF $43,031) 340 1,027 43,225 2,623 ------------- ------------- -------------- -------------- NET INCOME $ 46,683 $ 41,314 $ 184,558 $ 123,799 ============= ============= ============== ============== EARNINGS PER SHARE - BASIC: CONTINUING OPERATIONS $ 0.58 $ 0.51 $ 1.76 $ 1.54 DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS - 0.01 0.54 0.03 ------------- ------------- -------------- -------------- TOTAL EARNINGS PER SHARE $ 0.58 $ 0.52 $ 2.30 $ 1.57 ============= ============= ============== ============== EARNINGS PER SHARE - DILUTIVE: CONTINUING OPERATIONS $ 0.57 $ 0.50 $ 1.73 $ 1.51 DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS - 0.01 0.53 0.03 ------------- ------------- -------------- -------------- TOTAL EARNINGS PER SHARE $ 0.57 $ 0.51 $ 2.26 $ 1.54 ============= ============= ============== ============== DIVIDENDS PER SHARE $ 0.0525 $ 0.0525 $ 0.1575 $ 0.1445 WEIGHTED AVERAGE NUMBER OF COMMON SHARES OUTSTANDING -BASIC 80,495 78,999 80,304 78,712 -DILUTIVE 82,110 81,007 81,910 80,458

DENTSPLY INTERNATIONAL INC. CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS (IN THOUSANDS) SEPTEMBER 30, DECEMBER 31, 2004 2003 ------------- ------------- ASSETS CURRENT ASSETS: CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS $ 407,350 $ 163,755 ACCOUNTS AND NOTES RECEIVABLE-TRADE, NET 241,869 241,385 INVENTORIES, NET 212,052 205,587 OTHER CURRENT ASSETS 93,687 88,463 ASSETS HELD FOR SALE - 28,262 TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS 954,958 727,452 PROPERTY,PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, NET 381,091 376,211 GOODWILL, NET 958,065 963,264 IDENTIFIABLE INTANGIBLES ASSETS, NET 237,763 246,475 OTHER NONCURRENT ASSETS, NET 86,160 114,736 ASSETS HELD FOR SALE - 17,449 TOTAL ASSETS $2,618,037 $2,445,587 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY: CURRENT LIABILITIES $ 315,544 $ 327,752 LIABILITIES OF DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS - 1,269 LONG-TERM DEBT 781,960 790,202 OTHER LIABILITIES 140,726 137,016 DEFERRED INCOME TAXES 66,993 66,861 ---------- ---------- TOTAL LIABILITIES 1,305,223 1,323,100 MINORITY INTEREST IN CONSOLIDATED SUBSIDIARIES 79 418 STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY 1,312,735 1,122,069 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY $2,618,037 $2,445,587