Dentsply and Sirona shareholders approve imminent merger

Dentsply and Sirona have announced that their respective shareholders have signed off on the planned merger between the companies.

Following special meetings of shareholders held earlier this week, all proposals necessary to complete the merger of equals transaction have been overwhelmingly approved, meaning the combination remains on track to be completed in the first quarter of 2016.

Although the deal remains subject to the conditions set down in the merger agreement, including regulatory approvals, it is now expected that the integration of the two businesses will proceed as planned.

Bret Wise, chairman and chief executive officer of Dentsply, said: "Both companies have built a deep and loyal customer base and have highly complementary product portfolios, positioning the combined entity to advance patient care and deliver meaningful value to our shareholders."

The combined business will be called Dentsply Sirona and will be the world's leading manufacturer of professional dental products and technologies, with the largest sales and service infrastructure in the dental sector. It will employ 15,000 staff members worldwide.