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

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Key Terms

cad/cam technical

CAD/CAM stands for computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing, a technology that uses software to design products and then control machines that make them. For investors it matters because CAD/CAM speeds up product development, lowers production costs, and enables precise customization—advantages that can boost a maker’s margins, shorten time to market, and reduce regulatory or quality risks in industries like medical devices, dental restorations, and precision manufacturing.

intraoral scanners medical

Intraoral scanners are devices used by dentists to create detailed 3D images of your teeth and gums by gently capturing pictures inside your mouth. They help in making crowns, braces, and other dental treatments faster and more comfortable, replacing traditional molds with a quick, digital scan.

palatal expander medical

A palatal expander is a dental appliance fitted to the roof of the mouth that gently pushes the two halves of the upper jaw apart over time to widen the dental arch. Investors care because demand, reimbursement, regulatory approvals and technological advances for these devices affect revenue and growth prospects for orthodontic device makers and dental service providers—think of it as a construction tool that opens space for future work in the mouth.

scanning electron microscopy technical

A scanning electron microscope is a powerful imaging tool that scans a sample with a focused beam of electrons to produce extremely detailed, high-magnification pictures of surface structure and composition—think of it as a camera that uses electrons instead of light to reveal features at the scale of billionths of a meter. Investors care because these images help verify product quality, materials performance, manufacturing defects, or claims about new technologies, which can affect a company’s competitive position, regulatory approvals, and production costs.

optical microscopy technical

Optical microscopy is a technique that uses visible light and a system of lenses to magnify and photograph tiny structures so they can be seen and analyzed, like using a powerful magnifying glass with a camera. For investors, it matters because this basic tool is widely used in research, product development, quality control and medical diagnostics; strong demand or technological improvements can signal revenue opportunities for equipment makers and faster progress or better quality in labs and manufacturers.

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06/01/2026 - 04:00 PM

$300,000 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 twelve research grants to universities under the company’s fifteenth Annual Research Award Program.

“Research and clinical evidence continue to be at the core of advancing science, which furthers innovation and clinical treatments,” said Dr. Mitra Derakhshan, Align executive vice president, chief clinical officer, global treatment planning and clinical services. “We remain committed to supporting university research worldwide and the meaningful impact it drives in shaping the future of the orthodontic and dental profession.”

The Americas research award recipients for 2026 are:

University of Florida (Gainesville, FL) Primary Investigator - Dr. Isil Aras
University of Florida (Gainesville, FL) Primary Investigator - Dr. Sarah Hisham Abu Arqub
Southern Illinois University (Edwardsville, IL) Primary Investigator - Dr. Feras Al Khatib
University of Alabama (Birmingham, AL) Primary Investigator - Dr. Navdeep Bhusri

The European research award recipients for 2026 are:

Francisco de Vitoria University (Madrid, Spain) Primary Investigator - Dr. Iván Nieto Sánchez
Johann Wolfgang Goethe University (Frankfurt, Germany) Primary Investigator - Dr. Babak Sayahpour
University of Insubria (Varese and Como, Italy) Primary Investigator - Dr. Luca Levrini
Vita-Salute San Raffaele University (Milan, Italy) Primary Investigator - Dr. Andrea Boggio

The Asia Pacific research award recipients for 2026 are:

Wuhan University (Wuhan, China) Primary Investigator - Dr. Sanjie Yeweng
Sichuan University (Chengdu, China) Primary Investigator - Dr. Juan Li
Taipei Medical University (Taipei City, Taiwan) Primary Investigator - Dr. Daniel De-Shing Chen
Shandong University (Jinan, China) Primary Investigator - Dr. Hui Chen

“The scope of research supported through this program highlights the important role of scientific inquiry in advancing dentistry,” said John Morton, Align vice president, technical fellow. “We are proud to support investigators whose work can deepen clinical understanding, inform treatment approaches, and ultimately improve patient care worldwide.”

The funded research studies cover a wide range of topics, including:

Apical root resorption during anterior retraction, early and late restoration of maxillary laterals during aligner treatment, evaluation of the Invisalign Palatal Expander and traditional expanders in mixed dentition, white spot lesion activity between fixed appliances and aligners, stability of alignment in retention with various protocols, anterior tooth movement with lingual versus buccal attachments, and characteristics of enamel during aligner treatment by using scanning electron microscopy and optical microscopy.

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 approximately 299.5 thousand doctor customers and are key to accessing Align’s 600 million consumer market opportunity worldwide. Over the past 29 years, Align has helped doctors treat approximately 22.8 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.

Invisalign, iTero, exocad, Align, Align Digital Platform and iTero Lumina are trademarks of Align Technology, Inc.