Reiterates Positive Outlook

    ST. PAUL, Minn., Jan. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Patterson Dental Company
(Nasdaq: PDCO) today announced that its board of directors has approved a
3-for-2 stock split, to be effected in the form of a 50% stock dividend
payable February 17, 1998, to shareholders of record January 30, 1998.  The
company will have approximately 33 million shares outstanding after the stock
split.
    "The board of directors shares management's confidence in Patterson's
long-term growth opportunity, which has been reflected in the strength of our
earnings and share valuation," commented Peter L. Frechette, president and
chief executive officer.  "While many institutional investors own shares of
Patterson, it is our goal to keep the round lot price of Patterson Dental
stock within a comfortable range for individual investors as well."
    Frechette added that the company remains positive about the outlook for
the remainder of fiscal 1998 (ending April 25, 1998).  "For the first six
months of this year, we reported a 28 percent jump in net income on a 17
percent rise in net revenue.  The gains reflected substantial contributions
from the company's Colwell operation, which was acquired in October 1996, as
well as operating margin improvement.  With the strong increase in Canadian
sales following our August, 1997 acquisition of Canadian Dental Supply Ltd.,
and other developments, we believe we have a good chance of achieving strong
sales and earnings gains for fiscal 1998."
    Patterson Dental Company is one of the largest distributors of dental
products in North America.  The Company supplies more than 75,000 products to
dentists, dental laboratories, institutions, physicians and other healthcare
providers.  These products include x-ray film, impression and restorative
materials, hand instruments, sterilization products, front office forms and
stationery as well as capital equipment. Patterson markets its products and
services through more than 800 direct sales representatives and equipment
specialists in the United States and Canada, and ships approximately 97
percent of its consumable goods within 24 hours of receipt of order.
    This news release contains certain forward-looking statements as defined
in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which may be
identified by the use of certain forward-looking terminology such as "may,"
"will," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "goal," or "continue," or
comparable terminology that involves risks and uncertainties, which may cause
the company's actual results in the future to differ materially from expected
results.  These risks include, among others: competition within the dental
supply industry; changes in the economics of dentistry, including reduced
growth in expenditures by private dental insurance plans and the effects of
healthcare reform, which may affect future per capita expenditures for dental
services and the ability of dentists to invest in or obtain reimbursement for
the use of high-technology products; the ability of the company to maintain
satisfactory relationships with its sales force; the effects of economic
conditions; the successful integration of Canada Dental Supply Ltd.;
unforeseen operating risks; risks associated with the dependence on
manufacturers of the company's products; and the availability of capital to
finance planned growth.  These risks are qualified in their entirety by
cautionary language set forth in the company's Form 10-K report filed July 25,
1997, and other documents filed with Securities and Exchange Commission.

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