Henry Schein, Melville, NY, and Patterson Companies Inc, St Paul, Minn, are nearing a settlement in an anti-trust class-action lawsuit suit. Benco Dental Supply Company, Pittston, Pa, has reportedly already announced a settlement, but has not released a statement disclosing the amount.

The case, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York in 2016, alleges that the three companies violated anti-trust rules by fixing prices on dental equipment and supplies, as well as other claims. The companies reportedly worked together to fix prices, allocate customers, and foreclose competitors by boycotting manufacturers, state dental associations, and others that deal with defendants’ competitors.

Henry Schein announced that it expects to incur a charge of $38.5 million pre-tax, or $0.19 per share, to settle the case when it reports its third quarter 2018 results. Meanwhile, Patterson Companies has booked a pre-tax reserve of $28.3 million for the anticipated settlement of the suit. According to press releases from both Henry Schein and Patterson, any settlements are still subject to reaching a definitive agreement among the parties, as well as subsequent approval by the court.

“We categorically and emphatically deny any wrongdoing, and we have made a business decision in the best interests of the Company to engage in settlement discussions to avoid long, distracting litigation and the additional use of resources,” said Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Henry Schein. “We have a long history of serving customers with integrity and honesty, and we have earned our reputation for doing business ethically in a competitive business environment.”

This case is separate from a February complaint filed by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission against the three companies alleging violations of U.S. antitrust law. They are accused of conspiring to refuse to provide discounts to or to serve buying groups representing dental practitioners.