According to the company, the estimated COVID-19 social distancing restrictions in March 2021 may not allow the proximity and depth of consultation that Dentsply Sirona and its customers know and value.

Dentsply Sirona has announced it will not attend the International Dental Show (IDS), which is scheduled for March 2021 in Cologne, Germany. Dentsply Sirona brands VDW, MIS, and Zhermack will follow suit.

According to a press release from the company, current pandemic estimations indicate that the expected social distancing restrictions in March 2021 may not allow the proximity and depth of consultation that Dentsply Sirona and its customers know and value.

The company is concerned that this environment would mean that customer meetings, interactions and consultations would not have their usual quality. Dentsply Sirona also believes that travel conditions will result in significantly fewer national and, especially, international visitors attending the IDS.

The company has expressed its commitment to keeping its customers and employees safe. In addition, Walter Petersohn, chief commercial officer at Dentsply Sirona, says, “It was a difficult decision to make, but much of what makes the IDS and its unique dynamics what they are, will not be possible in March 2021 because of the conditions we expect due to COVID-19. We would not be able to provide our customers and visitors with their usual experience at the show at this time. The same applies to the quality that they expect of Dentsply Sirona. We trust that the situation will change in due course, and we already look forward to taking part in the next IDS.”