GOODWILL AND INTANGIBLE ASSETS (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Notes to Financial Statements [Abstract]

Reconciliation of Changes in the Company's Goodwill

Goodwill by reportable segment is as follows:

	December 31,
(in thousands)	2012		2011
Dental Consumable and Laboratory Businesses	$	488,206	$	484,779
Orthodontics/Canada/Mexico/Japan	102,065		102,950
Select Distribution Businesses	92,473		108,566
Implants/Endodontics/Healthcare/Pacific Rim	1,528,209		1,493,768
Total	$	2,210,953	$	2,190,063

A reconciliation of changes in the Company’s goodwill is as follows:

	December 31,
(in thousands)	2012			2011
Balance, beginning of the year	$	2,190,063		$	1,303,055
Acquisition activity	867			978,191
Additional consideration for post closing adjustments	6,574			2,833
Adjustment of provisional amounts on prior acquisition	(22,516		)	—
Effect of exchange rate changes	35,965			(94,016		)
Balance, end of the year	$	2,210,953		$	2,190,063

Identifiable Definite-Lived Intangible Assets

Identifiable definite-lived and indefinite-lived intangible assets consist of the following:

	December 31, 2012							December 31, 2011
(in thousands)	Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization			Net Carrying Amount		Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization			Net Carrying Amount
Patents	$	179,512	$	(81,390	)	$	98,122	$	131,252	$	(17,393	)	$	113,859
Trademarks	83,073		(33,129		)	49,944		73,413		(23,885		)	49,528
Licensing agreements	30,695		(18,966		)	11,729		30,444		(17,277		)	13,167
Customer relationships	491,859		(50,632		)	441,227		411,626		(19,066		)	392,560
Total definite-lived	$	785,139	$	(184,117	)	$	601,022	$	646,735	$	(77,621	)	$	569,114
Trademarks and In-process R&D	$	229,620	$	—		$	229,620	$	221,986	$	—		$	221,986
Total identifiable intangible assets	$	1,014,759	$	(184,117	)	$	830,642	$	868,721	$	(77,621	)	$	791,100