LEIPZIG, Germany: As dental companies continue to struggle under adverse market influences, the latest financial reports from major dental companies remind us that the industry is in a constant state of change and that tough market conditions also have their advantages. Five years of macroeconomic pressures have forced major dental companies to engage in heightened competition and to undertake future-proofing and contingency measures that may ultimately shore up the global delivery of oral care. During the second financial quarter of this year, the four largest dental companies further trimmed their operations and invested in local supply chains, focusing on growth markets and product categories.