Just one week after Dentsply International announced its intention to purchase dental-implant maker Astra Tech for $1.8 billion, rumors are swirling that the company is now on the verge of acquiring AMD Lasers as well.
On June 24, John Flucke, DDS, wrote on his dental technology blog: "I have it on good authority from multiple sources in the industry that later this summer, laser manufacturer AMD will be purchased by Dentsply."
When contacted by DrBicuspid.com, AMD declined to comment. However, a company representative did reveal that a corporate statement regarding the matter will be issued "later this week."
Calls to Dentsply for comment or confirmation had not been returned as of press time.
AMD gained U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance for its 7-watt Picasso diode laser in 2009 and began selling the compact, soft-tissue device for an unprecedented price in the dental market: less than $2,500. The company subsequently introduced the Picasso Lite, a 2.5-watt soft-tissue laser.
