Patterson Companies, Inc., has announced that its dental unit, Patterson Dental Supply, has extended its exclusive North American distribution agreement with Sirona Dental Systems GmbH through September 30, 2007 for Sirona's CEREC 3(R) chairside dental restorative system.
Patterson, which will continue to provide customer support and training for CEREC equipment, has been the exclusive North American distributor for these advanced technology dental systems since 1996.
Scott R. Kabbes, president of Patterson Dental Supply, commented: "We are extremely pleased to continue our close working relationship with Sirona. Reflecting the ability of the CEREC system to increase productivity and improve clinical outcomes, thousands of dentists have already converted to this important CAD/CAM technology. CEREC sales are growing strongly, and we believe the outlook for this new-technology equipment is very promising."
Jost Fischer, Sirona's chief executive officer, said, "We are very excited about the development of the CAD/CAM market in North America, and Patterson has been an integral part of our success. Patterson has been an exceptional partner, and we are confident that together we will continue to lead the accelerating trend towards CAD/CAM dentistry."
