CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Queen City has plenty to smile about after a dental supply manufacturer announced it will be bringing 320 jobs to Charlotte.

  • Dentsply Sirona Academy in Ballantyne Corporate Park
  • The academy will also train 10,000 dentists a year at the facility
  • Over the course of 12 years, the project will grow the city's economy by nearly $1 billion

Dentsply Sirona, the world's largest manufacturer of dental products, announced Tuesday it would be opening the Dentsply Sirona Academy in Ballantyne Corporate Park. 

In addition to the new jobs, Don Casey, the CEO of the company, says the academy will train 10,000 dentists a year at the Charlotte facility. 

"What happens is if you leave dental school, and all the sudden there's all this great new equipment that comes out, or new procedures, where do dentists go and learn? So we really feel that Dentsply Sirona can step up and help educate dentists," Casey said. 

Casey also says over the course of 12 years, the project will grow Charlotte's economy by nearly $1 billion, something county commissioners are excited about. 

"There will be thousands of people every year that come through Dentsply Sirona in order to receive training. That's thousands of people that are going to come to Mecklenburg County, they're coming to the city of Charlotte, they're going to stay here for a few nights, they're going to explore the city, they're going to see what we have to offer. They're going to take that back home to wherever they're from, and who knows, we might be able to land some future jobs and tourism dollars as well," said Matthew Ridenhour, the commissioner from District 5. 

The company says the first 110 employees are already moved in and ready to get to work.