Align™ Technology Awards Funding to Universities Worldwide for Advancing Orthodontic and Dental Research

$275,000 in Research Grants Awarded as Part of its Ongoing Annual Research Awards Program

TEMPE, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Align Technology, Inc. (“Align”) (Nasdaq: ALGN), a leading global medical device company that designs, manufactures, and sells the Invisalign® system of clear aligners, iTero™ intraoral scanners, and exocad™ CAD/CAM software for digital orthodontics and restorative dentistry, today announced the award of eleven research grants to universities under the company’s twelfth Annual Research Award Program.

“As evidenced by the number of first-time applicants, more and more universities are engaging in advanced research to further the capabilities of digital and clear aligner treatment in all types of malocclusion and segments of the population. Align Technology is honored to be able to continue providing funding that enables universities around the globe to better understand the science involved in the field of dentistry and orthodontic treatment,” said Dr. Mitra Derakhshan, Align senior vice president, global clinical.

The Americas research award recipients for 2022 are:

• Rutgers University (New Jersey, US) – Primary Investigator, Dr. Anil Ardeshna
• University of California, San Francisco (California, US) – Primary Investigator, Dr. Christine Hong
• University of Colorado, Anschutz (Colorado, US) – Primary Investigator, Dr. Kristen Lowe

The European research award recipients for 2022 are:

• UniCamillus, International Medical University (Rome, Italy) receiving two awards – Primary Investigator, Dr. Roberta Lione
• Gazi University (Ankara, Turkey) – Primary Investigator, Dr. Nehir Bavbek
• University of Insubria (Varese, Italy) – Primary Investigator, Dr. Luca Levrini
• University of Turin (Turin, Italy) – Primary Investigator, Dr. Ambra Sedran

The Asia Pacific research award recipients for 2022 are:

• Sichuan University (Chengdu, China) – Primary Investigator, Dr. Wenli Lai
• Xi’an Jiaotong University (Xi’an, China) – Primary Investigator, Dr. Yu-cheng Guo
• Shanghai Jiao Tong University (Shanghai, China) – Primary Investigator, Dr. Bo Wang

“The range of topics submitted to the program is expanding as doctors approach the application of digital technology to dentistry and orthodontics from many different angles,” said John Morton, Align vice president, technical fellow.

The funded research studies cover a wide range of topics for projects seeking to better understand treatment in orthodontics and dentistry including, but not limited to: distalization, stability in retention, pre-surgical treatment of cleft palate, maintenance of space in mixed dentition with aligners, consideration of periodontal conditions in treatment, and the demand for education regarding treatment with aligners.

All award applications received were first reviewed and prioritized in a blind evaluation by an independent academic committee. The final recipients were then determined by Align Technology.

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 217 thousand doctor customers and is key to accessing Align’s 500 million consumer market opportunity worldwide. Align has helped doctors treat over 12.8 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 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.