New Dentsply Sirona CEO puts focus on needs of dentists

CHICAGO - Dentsply Sirona's new CEO, Donald M. Casey Jr., said the company would be committed to the needs of its customers and making its products better in a press conference on the floor of the exhibit hall on February 22 at the 2018 Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting.

"How do we focus on our customers?" stated Casey, explaining his focus. "How do we, as a company, best apply our research and development budget to benefit the dentist?"

Casey was appointed CEO on February 12. This was his first appearance at a major dental meeting.

Best job

Donald M. Casey Jr., Dentsply Sirona CEO.

Saying he thought he had the "best job in the world," Casey admitted he was new to dentistry, coming to Dentsply Sirona from Cardinal Health, where he was CEO of that company's medical division. He is looking forward to building relationships and focusing on innovation, he said.

"We need to focus on the dentist and their needs," Casey said. "We need to spend more time talking with our customers."

He also said that increasing the company's rate of technology advancement was important in a crowded marketplace.

"We need to ramp up the pace of innovation," Casey said. "The point is to keep positive momentum going."

He also focused on digital dentistry and the cost of dental equipment.

"Digital dentistry should help with the cost of care," Casey said.

One of the company's signature events is Dentsply Sirona World. Casey noted he was impressed with the event and would like to see it become larger.

"We'd like to double the size of Dentsply Sirona World over the next five years," he said.

Task at hand

Casey was asked by DrBicuspid.com how the company was responding to an ongoing request by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for information after the company reported a $1 billion loss in the second fiscal quarter of 2017.

He said that he couldn't comment on the matter because the company is in the quiet period before the release of fourth-quarter and year-end results, but he noted that the company needs to be transparent and "focus on the task at hand."

Casey said he was in the process of visiting Dentsply Sirona sites throughout the world, with the goal of talking to people within and outside of the company. He relayed the example of visiting a 100-year-old company facility where the employees were open about offering advice to improve the company's processes.