Align Technology to Award Research Programs That Advance Orthodontic and Dental Patient Care

2023 Grant Application Process Now Open for Up to $300,000 in Funding

TEMPE, Ariz--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Align Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALGN) today announced the opening of its 2023 Research Award Program to support clinical and scientific dental research in universities across the globe. This year, up to $300,000 will be awarded to university faculty for scientific and technological research initiatives to advance patient care in the fields of orthodontics and dentistry. Align Technology’s Research Award Program has funded approximately $2.7 million in research since the program’s inception in 2010.

“The further advancement of the field of dentistry and orthodontics is dependent on top quality university research, which improves our understanding of the science of dentistry and addresses issues that may be encountered during treatment,” said John Morton, Align vice president, product innovation and Technical Fellow. “It is a privilege for Align to be a part of these advancements through funding to researchers all around the globe.”

“Through Align’s annual research award program, we are proud to support orthodontic and dental science research studies that can ultimately improve treatment outcomes,” said Dr. Mitra Derakhshan, Align vice president, global clinical. “As we expand the capabilities of the Align Digital Platform™, our proprietary combination of software, systems and services designed to provide a seamless experience and workflows, we are enabling more clinical and scientific research opportunities through the continuous introduction of digital technologies such as further studies into Near-infrared imaging (“NIRI”) technology, treatment efficiencies related to treatment times and fewer in-person office visits, and insights into treatment effectiveness such as Class II treatment with mandibular advancement. We will continue to leverage insights from research studies to enhance the treatment planning experience and further advance digital scanning and clear aligner therapy acceptance.”

Awards available for dental research at universities are available in the following regions:

• Americas (US, Canada, Mexico, Central and South America): Four one-year awards of up to US$25,000 each
• EMEA: Four one-year awards of up to US$25,000 each
• APAC: Four one-year awards of up to US$25,000 each

Eligible applicants for dental research awards include full-time and part-time faculty involved in dental or scientific research at universities where Invisalign^® treatment or the iTero™ scanner is available. All applications are reviewed by an independent academic committee that forwards its recommendations to Align for final selection. Consideration will be given to first-time applications from a university program. Program details, instructions, and application forms for prospective applicants can be found at https://learn.invisalign.com/research-awards-landing-page (for Americas, EMEA and APAC applicants). Research proposals and completed applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time on March 3, 2023. Award recipients will be notified by June 5, 2023.

About Align Technology, Inc.

Align Technology designs and manufactures the Invisalign® system, the most advanced clear aligner system in the world, iTero™ intraoral scanners and services, and exocad™ CAD/CAM software. These technology building blocks enable enhanced digital orthodontic and restorative workflows to improve patient outcomes and practice efficiencies for over 234 thousand doctor customers and is key to accessing Align’s 500 million consumer market opportunity worldwide. Over the past 25 years, Align has helped doctors treat 14 million patients with the Invisalign system and is driving the evolution in digital dentistry through the Align Digital Platform™, our integrated suite of unique, proprietary technologies and services delivered as a seamless, end-to-end solution for patients and consumers, orthodontists and GP dentists, and lab/partners. Visit www.aligntech.com for more information.

For additional information about the Invisalign system or to find an Invisalign trained doctor in your area, please visit www.invisalign.com. For additional information about the iTero digital scanning system, please visit www.itero.com. For additional information about exocad dental CAD/CAM offerings and a list of exocad reseller partners, please visit www.exocad.com.