Dentsply Sirona

www.dentsplysirona.com

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Dental Tribune International

Mon. 31 March 2025

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Dentsply Sirona is a global leader in dental innovation and is driving growth across key regions. In this interview at DS World Dubai 2025, Xavier Carro Fernandez, group vice president for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) regional commercial organisation (RCO) at Dentsply Sirona, discusses the company’s evolving strategies, including the shift from product-focused launches to continuous innovation cycles, the role of education through DS World events and the expansion of its digital portfolio with technologies such as dental-dedicated magnetic resonance imaging (ddMRI). He also highlights how Dentsply Sirona’s tailored workflows and flexible sales models meet the diverse needs of dental professionals globally.

Xavier Carro Fernandez says that Dentsply Sirona has evolved its innovation cycle from surprise product launches to continuous, gradual introductions, giving customers time to familiarise themselves with innovations before testing them out at events.

Mr Carro, could you tell us about your background at Dentsply Sirona?
I joined the company in 2017, leading dental implant sales in Spain and Portugal. In 2018, I was part of the team involved in integrating MIS Implants Technologies into Dentsply Sirona’s implants business. By late 2018, I was promoted to general manager for Spain and Portugal, overseeing the entire Dentsply Sirona portfolio for these markets. Since July 2024, I’ve served as group vice president for the EMEA RCO.

Dentsply Sirona is a truly global company. What milestones are driving your recent focus on the EMEA region, particularly the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)?
The MENA region represents an important growth market for us within EMEA. This is driven by a combination of factors: the relatively low penetration of digital solutions, a strong interest in adopting new technologies and a desire to work with a trusted partner who can offer end-to-end support.

Our global mission is to empower dental professionals to deliver the best possible care. We do this through our comprehensive solutions portfolio and our unwavering commitment to innovation.

Would you say that innovation is the main driver of this growth?
Yes—innovation and clinical education. As demand for education rises, we’re working on balancing large-scale events with smaller, focused sessions. While large events such as DS World can attract up to several thousand attendees, it’s often the breakout sessions that have the greatest impact. These sessions, covering areas such as aligner treatment, implant treatment, aesthetic dentistry and CAD/CAM, are where in-depth learning and meaningful connections occur.

We held six DS World events last year, including in Tokyo, Japan and São Paulo, Brazil and three in the EMEA region—Dubai in the UAE, Riccione in Italy and Madrid in Spain. Our goal is to expand our event offerings, especially in regions like MENA, to meet growing demand.

What benefits do you see in using the DS World format instead of relying on major external trade shows such as the Congresso Internacional de Odontologia de São Paulo and UAE International Dental Conference and Arab Dental Exhibition?
DS World and trade shows serve different purposes. Trade shows focus on showcasing products and displaying innovations, whereas DS World is more about education and relationship-building. It’s an immersive experience where attendees can collaborate and learn, as well as connect with experts. This approach aligns with our premium positioning. We’re delivering a tailored experience, much like a luxury brand offering a customised service. Trade shows cater to a broader audience, but DS World allows for more personalised engagement with customers.

Do you think that education is essential for innovation in dentistry to succeed?
Absolutely. Our DS World events demonstrate how innovation and education work hand in hand. For example, we’ve grown attendance of DS World Dubai from 500 to 1,200 in just two years. Attendees come from over 50 countries, giving this event a unique international mix.

We’ve also introduced an online academy to complement our face-to-face events. Our online platform provides flexibility for those who can’t travel and allows them to stay updated between events. However, because it’s not possible to physically engage with products online, events remain necessary for that hands-on experience and interaction.

Dentsply Sirona has a broad product portfolio. What is your approach to distribution and direct sales in different markets?
Every country has different needs and requests, and our portfolio is flexible. In some regions, we partner with distributors, whereas in others, we focus on direct sales. We also use hybrid models in markets requiring a combination of both approaches. This agility allows us to cater to local requirements while ensuring consistent product quality, customer experience and service standards worldwide.

In light of the upcoming International Dental Show (IDS) in Cologne in Germany, what can attendees expect from Dentsply Sirona this year?
They can expect new, exciting and expanded capabilities in DS Core. DS Core is our cloud-based platform which connects dental practices and laboratories and supports them throughout their daily workflows by providing a range of flexible and connected tools that enhance efficiency, productivity and growth.

A key focus is the integration of SureSmile for orthodontic workflows, as well as enhancement of design–guide synergies and streamlining of the entire implant workflow. This will enable more seamless and efficient use for dental professionals, particularly regarding aligner workflows.

“Every country has different needs and requests, and our portfolio is flexible.”

From a product perspective, the key highlight will be ddMRI—the first dental dedicated magnetic resonance imaging system—which is being developed in collaboration with Siemens Healthineers. It is expected to complement previously established imaging modalities by providing soft tissue contrast with radiation-free imaging. We will be displaying a small prototype in Cologne. The ddMRI system is intended as a complementary addition to our existing imaging portfolio, underlining our leadership in innovative dental imaging technologies.

Our innovation cycle has evolved throughout the years—we moved from product-focused to solution-focused innovation. IDS serves as a platform for showcasing new solutions, hands-on testing and discussions, while DS World remains the place for learning about major innovations.

Dentsply Sirona was built from specialised companies. Is the focus now shifting towards general practitioners?
It’s more about meeting actual customer needs, which go beyond individual products. Instead, we focus on comprehensive clinical workflows. Our goal is to deliver tailored solutions for specialists such as orthodontists and prosthodontists, as well as for general practitioners. SureSmile is a great example. Originally designed for specialists, we also made it available for general practitioners, while ensuring the platform remains flexible based on the severity of the individual cases. We’re not just developing products or launching new ones. We’re creating and refining workflows to better serve our customers.

The new ddMRI system is a major innovation in imaging. Does it have applications beyond traditional dental diagnostics?
The ddMRI system is designed for use in universities, innovation centres and clinics. It does not employ radiation to generate images and allows for frequent follow-up scans, enabling longer-term monitoring without the risks of radiation exposure. This can significantly enhance patient outcomes, especially for complex cases requiring ongoing observation.

How do you see artificial intelligence (AI) shaping the future of dentistry?
AI isn’t just something for the future; it’s already here. We’ve been implementing AI without always labelling it as such. SureSmile Simulator, a customised 3D visualisation of the potential new smile after aligner treatment, and aligner treatment itself, are good examples.

AI plays a critical role. However, AI also carries risks. We’ve seen cases where product or service offerings rely on low-quality data and try to fix it with AI, but AI works best when built on a solid foundation of high-quality data. For example, enhancing intra-oral data from a Primescan or extra-oral data from Orthophos with AI is effective. Even AI can’t make up for poor data.

AI is not just a buzzword for us. It’s a key part of our innovation strategy and will continue to play an essential role in improving workflows, diagnostics and patient care with our products.