“We must look at the workflow through the dentist’s eyes”: Dentsply Sirona CEO outlines priorities for 2026

Introduction / background

At the inaugural Dentsply Sirona World Germany in Bonn, Dental Tribune International conducted an interview with Dentsply Sirona CEO Daniel Scavilla (interview by Jeremy Booth, published 6 May 2026). Scavilla—who has more than 30 years’ experience in medical technology and pharmaceuticals—described a series of organisational and commercial initiatives intended to position the company amid accelerating digital transformation in dentistry.

What was discussed and planned

Scavilla summarised a set of tactical and structural moves Dentsply Sirona will pursue through 2026 and beyond. Key actions he described include:

• Prioritising dental laboratories by establishing a council of laboratory owners that reports directly to him, and restructuring the sales approach (initially in the US, then across Europe) to deploy more representatives dedicated to laboratory business.
• Pushing the concept of “connected dentistry” as a mainstream model for clinical practice—enabling seamless data transfer, AI-assisted diagnostics and closer collaboration among clinicians, laboratories and patients.
• Targeting operational and commercial improvements in three strategic areas: restoring US business performance, strengthening the company’s implant strategy, and accelerating growth in orthodontics. Scavilla emphasised these are multi-year efforts extending beyond 2026.
• Re-engineering organisational complexity to increase frontline sales presence and free capacity for commercial growth, clinical education and innovation.
• Building dedicated advisory teams for implant dentistry and orthodontics, and involving a broader range of practicing dentists in research and development to ensure products match real-world workflows.
• Expanding clinical education: increasing investment in the peer-to-peer programme by 50% this year, with plans to repeat that increase in 2027; initial educational emphasis will be implants and orthodontics, delivered both online and locally.
• Refreshing the board with three financial and strategic executives—Don Zurbay (former CEO of Patterson Companies), Jim Forbes (investment banking experience) and Brian McKeon (strategic adviser)—to support dealer strategy, capital allocation and strategic oversight.

Key findings from the interview

Scavilla framed the company’s strategy around a customer-centric cultural shift. He stated that Dentsply Sirona must increasingly view processes “through the dentist’s eyes” and make clinicians active participants in product design and advisory activities. He positioned connected dentistry as an inevitable industry trajectory and highlighted operational benefits such as improved workflow efficiency, greater patient throughput (including single-visit workflows), enhanced diagnostic capability and higher treatment acceptance when digital integration and AI are employed.

“We must look at the workflow through the dentist’s eyes,” Scavilla said, and described connected dentistry as “the inevitable future.”

Scavilla also underscored the primacy of restoring the US business as foundational to global performance: “The first priority is getting the US business back to a strong position.” He presented the Naples-to-board changes and advisory structures as mechanisms to achieve a faster, more accountable and customer-responsive organisation.

Relevance for dental practice

• Laboratory integration: Dentsply Sirona intends to deepen direct engagement with laboratory owners and allocate more commercial resources to lab relationships. Dentists working with laboratories may see new offerings and altered commercial interfaces as those relationships evolve.
• Product development and R&D: The company plans to involve a broader range of practicing dentists in product development stages, potentially increasing the clinical applicability of future devices and workflows.
• Education and adoption support: Increased investment in peer-to-peer programmes and a dual online/local education model—initially prioritising implants and orthodontics—may provide clinicians with additional training resources tied to the company’s product portfolio.
• Digital workflow emphasis: The CEO’s emphasis on connected dentistry and single-visit solutions signals continued prioritisation of integrated scanners, software, AI tools and chairside-lab connectivity—areas likely to feature in the company’s commercial and educational activity.

Limitations and context

The article reports the CEO’s statements of intent and strategic priorities rather than independently verified outcomes. Many initiatives described are ongoing organisational changes and future investments, some of which extend beyond 2026. Clinicians should view these as company plans that may influence product availability, education and commercial interactions but are not clinical endorsements or proven practice-level outcomes.

SOURCE

https://www.dental-tribune.com/news/we-must-look-at-the-workflow-through-the-dentists-eyes/