Align Technology, a leading global medical device company that designs and manufactures the Invisalign system, iTero intraoral scanners, and exocad CAD/CAM services for orthodontic and restorative dentistry, has seen its Invisalign Virtual Care selected as the winner of the ‘Best Virtual Care Platform’ award in the fifth annual MedTech Breakthrough Awards conducted by MedTech Breakthrough, an independent market intelligence organisation that recognises the top companies, technologies and products in the global health and medical technology market.

The Invisalign Virtual Care solution enables remote communication between Invisalign doctors and their patients to track treatment progress.

Early in the Covid-19 pandemic, many Invisalign doctors around the world pieced together video calls, texts, and patient-submitted photos through a variety of platforms to help monitor patient progress, reduce in-office appointments, and ensure continuity of patient care during treatment. In response, Align Technology launched a set of digital tools to support doctors. These solutions included the Invisalign Virtual Care and Invisalign Virtual Appointment tools that were built into the My Invisalign App.

Invisalign Virtual Care can be used for remote consultations, assessment of treatment progress, and to communicate adjustments or concerns during treatment. Patients use the intuitive My Invisalign App to stay engaged in their treatment and convey progress photos to their doctor, who reviews these photos on their Invisalign Doctor Site and communicates any needed instructions to patients along their Invisalign treatment journey.

The combined features of Invisalign Virtual Care can contribute to benefits such as less time spent in the treatment chair, and represents the next level in practice and care transformation, enabling doctors to remotely manage a range of practice services.

“Customer feedback to date has been overwhelmingly positive and using Invisalign Virtual Care has shown to be a huge benefit, as many dentists and orthodontists are embracing digital treatment in new ways and more purposefully than ever before,” said Raj Pudipeddi, chief innovation, product, and marketing officer and senior vice president, Align Technology. “Winning this award from MedTech Breakthrough is a great honour and we are thrilled to be listed among the many other innovative winners this year.”

The mission of the MedTech Breakthrough Awards is to honour excellence and recognise the innovation, hard work and success in a range of health and medical technology categories, including Robotics, Clinical Administration, Telehealth, Patient Engagement, Electronic Health Records (EHR), mHealth, Medical Devices, Medical Data and many more. This year’s program attracted more than 3,850 nominations from over 17 different countries throughout the world.

“Invisalign Virtual Care provides Invisalign patients with seamless, personalised experiences that improve the customer experience, while also enabling revenue growth for doctors,” said James Johnson, managing director, MedTech Breakthrough. “It is clear that responsible virtual care represents a significant component of healthcare moving forward and Align is a leading innovator in this space. We offer our sincere congratulations to the entire Align Technology team on a well-deserved 2021 MedTech Breakthrough Award win.”

Invisalign Virtual Care launched in March 2020 and is now available in more than 54 countries worldwide. These tools have become integral to Invisalign provider practices and to their ability to communicate with existing patients and provide continuous care.

Align Technology has announced that over 10 million patients have begun treatment with the Invisalign system – the most advanced clear aligner system in the world – including 2.6 million teenage patients*. This is a significant milestone for the company and the Invisalign-trained orthodontists and dentists worldwide who trust Invisalign clear aligners to treat adults, teens, and patients as young as 6 years old.

Commenting on the 10 millionth Invisalign patient milestone, Joe Hogan, Align Technology CEO, said, “It’s remarkable to think about the pace of growth and adoption that we are experiencing worldwide, especially when considering it took 10 years to achieve our one millionth Invisalign patient milestone and now we are adding one million new Invisalign patients in less than six months. We are grateful to our doctor partners and their patients, and to our 20,000 employees around the world who have helped us reach this milestone. In recognition of our 10 millionth Invisalign milestone, we have donated $10 million to the Align Foundation donor-advised fund to support organisations whose visions tie closely to our own: transforming smiles and changing lives, supporting and educating teens, and empowering our doctor customers through partnerships with learning institutions and foundations. We are also kicking off a campaign called “10 Million Smiles. 10 Million Thanks” centred around the transformative power of Invisalign treatment through the eyes of Invisalign patients. This is our way to say thank you and inspire others to share their smiles with the world using #10MInvisalignSmiles.”

UK & Ireland celebrates milestone with a consumer competition

To celebrate the 10 millionth milestone in the UK & in Ireland, Align Technology is giving 10 consumers a chance to win up to £1,000/€1175 to cover their Invisalign treatment. The competition runs until June 15, and the consumers need to complete a SmileView smile simulation on the Invisalign UK or Ireland website, as well as enter their details into the form. Align will select 10 winners at random from all valid entries¹. The final discount awarded to the winner will depend on what Invisalign product the doctor suggests as part of the winner’s treatment plan.

To join in the global celebration, tag yourself use #10MInvisalignSmiles on social media and share a smile selfie, story or video with the world.

* Data on file at Align Technology, Q1, 2021

1 Full terms and conditions are available on request

Align Technology has announced that one of the keynote presenters for its 2021 Growth Summit is the British-American author Simon Sinek. Delegates are being invited to join a fireside chat with the inspirational leadership doyen on the second day of the Summit which runs between 18th and 19th June and has attracted a power-pack of over twenty expert dental, wellness and business speakers.

Crowned The Dental Industry Event of the Year 2020, the organisers of the Growth Summit have surpassed themselves and curated another winning agenda which comprises lectures, panel discussions, Q & As, breakout sessions and on demand content. The two-day programme is split into three constituent elements; clinical education, insights from outside dentistry and future trends. The clinical education strand will focus on comprehensive dentistry and ortho-restorative procedures as well as exploring the benefits of digitalisation both for the practice and the whole profession. The insights thread will cover the latest patient experience trends, futurism, marketing and branding as well providing an opportunity for delegates to assess their own leadership skills and influence. The third component is dedicated to finding business balance, to thriving in challenging times and energising the whole dental team.

From digital adaptation and human transformation, through clinical upskilling to health and wellbeing, the two-day event will be addressed by world class speakers. Simon Sinek has addressed the UN Global Compact Leaders’ Summit, presented TED talks and at TEDx conferences, and has written five books which have appeared on the bestseller lists of the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. Simon is a world-renowned optimist who is driven to incite positive change the way businesses and individuals think and behave. His fireside chat will explore leadership, purpose and how to bring your team together.

Another must attend session is the one delivered by Danish futurist and innovation strategist Anders Sörmann-Nilsson who will use his keynote address to explore the ways in which the pandemic has forced digital development, which is set to continue. He will discuss getting to the forefront and staying on top of digital practice innovation and will address the important value analogue plays to reinforce this.

Dr Karla Soto was one of the most highly rated speakers from the 2020 Growth Summit and returns to share more of her clinical knowledge and insights as well as an in-depth dive into cases to help delegates develop their professional expertise. She is only one of the line-up of expert clinical speakers to address the latest comprehensive and ortho-restorative aspects of dentistry.

Finding stability and perspective within a stressful profession is a concern to be addressed by Dr Simon Chard who was voted the fourth most influential UK dentist in 2020. Dr Chard’s remit will be to shine a light on mental health in dentistry and provide some ways to develop a healthy work/life balance.

As well as lectures there will be panel discussions and breakout sessions, as well as ample opportunities to question each of the speakers, and at the end of each day delegates are invited to drinks sessions to enable them to network, forge stronger links and discuss what they have learned in a more informal setting – just as they would at a live event.

To review the impressive speaker programme and to register for the Invisalign Growth Summit please visit www.aligngrowthsummit.co.uk.

Align Technology is hosting a new season of its six-part webinar “Digital Excellence Series”: Helping dental professionals kick start their digital journey and to grow with iTero scanners which will run once a month from May to December 2021. The series` speakers will address topics relevant to dental professionals and laboratory owners, including some of the most typically asked questions about the transition from analogue to digital. However, dental professionals need to rationalise the move away from their existing functional analogue workflow – a shift which may at first seem challenging.  

Align’s guest speakers are early adopters of digital technologies in the dental industry, keen to support other doctors to help kick start their digital journey with practical and ready to implement advice and real-world guidance – to help them make their digital vision a digital reality.  All are engaging speakers and authentic enthusiasts who will lead by example.

The kick-off event of the six-part series,  entitled ‘Going digital – Guidance for Restorative Practice’ will take place on 19th May (7:30pm CET) and feature Dr. Ingo Baresel (Germany), President of DGDOA (German Association for Intraoral Scanning) and master dental technician Clemens Schwerin who will perform a live step-by-step demonstration of the restorative digital workflow, explain the complete digital workflow from chair to lab, and back again, and highlight the differences and the commonalities with traditional analogue practice.

They will be followed by Dr. Andrea Agnini and Dr. Alessandro Agnini (Italy) who will present together to take delegates through the ‘why and how’ of digital workflow, show examples when a digital scanner can enhance a contemporary dental practice. They will share the application to everyday workflows including patient care, and the impact of the digital scanner on practice efficiency and cost optimization.  As Dr. Andrea Agnini explained: “During this presentation, we are going to look at the digital acceleration touching different branches of dentistry, especially post Covid-19.  We will compare the number of scans, for restorative and orthodontic reasons, performed three years ago, with today, and highlight that the volume has trebled or quadrupled. We will discuss what digital dentistry is bringing to our everyday routine. We will address the question of “why digital with the iTero scanner?” – because it is a game changer. We will highlight its versatility and the way it provides doctors with a tool which helps with communications, restorative dentistry, orthodontics, implantology and much more.”

The second event in the series is on 2nd June (7:30pm CET), and will look at “Going digital – A Pathway for Orthodontic success” with orthodontic specialist guest speakers Dr. Rafi Romano (Israel), Dr. Ebru Cetinkaya Tokmak (Turkey), and Dr. Adam Jowett (UK).  Part three, on 14th July (7:30pm CET) will focus on the clinical applications of new ‘Technology in Dental’ and will features GP Dr. Mohsen Tehranian (UK) who will show delegates many of the practical ways he harnesses the functions of the iTero digital scanner for all his restorative cases. Then, after a summer break, the Digital Excellence Series returns with three further events.

Dental business coach Chris Barrow is once again serving as the event moderator. A passionate digital supporter, he commented: “One of the unforeseen consequences of the pandemic has been the enforced innovation that has taken place in the delivery of both customer service and clinical care. In 26 years, never have I seen clients change their working practices so quickly – a reminder that we are, in fact, a very versatile species when it comes to survival. That innovation has perhaps been most dramatic in the adoption of digital dentistry and virtual communications. Innovation inspires me.  I’m looking forward to hearing from global innovators about how they have adapted to the new landscape in order to thrive.”

Dr. Andrea Agnini concludes “With the iTero scanner and the right education from Align Technology, the future is bright.”

All events will be conducted in English with simultaneous live translations into French, Italian, German, Spanish. Some events will also be translated into Polish and Russian. Entry to the six-part Digital Excellence Series is complimentary. For advanced registration to gain admittance:  

https://global.itero.com/digitalexcellenceseries?utm_source=PositiveComms&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=PCemail1

Align Technology has commented on The Chancellor of the Exchequer’s 2021 budget announcement of a new tax deduction designed to stimulate investment by UK companies. Between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2023, dentists who run their practices as companies and pay corporation tax will be able to claim a corporation tax deduction at 130% of qualifying expenditure on new assets.

Eligible dental practices will be able to claim a deduction from their tax bill if they invest in new equipment, plant and machinery for their business. Under the super-deduction, they will be allowed a capital allowance of 130% on qualifying investments. The main exclusion from this scheme is partnerships, sole traders and other businesses not paying corporation tax.

The super-deduction scheme is aimed at stimulating the purchase of new equipment, plant and machinery. Anything ranging from IT equipment, to new solar panels should be covered. So this should mean that the iTero digital scanner is eligible.

The business of digital

If this wasn’t incentive enough to invest in new capital equipment for the dental practice, Align Technology has released data which demonstrates that an iTero Element digital scanner is associated an increase in practice growth. The statistically significant results of a study show that general dentists with a previously low Invisalign case volume (of five or fewer Invisalign case starts) increased revenue by £120,372 in Invisalign cases in three years. In the first year they reported an additional 7 cases, by year two there was an average increase

to 16 cases and by year three it was more than 28 cases as a result of using an iTero digital scanner.1

Additional data shows that 1.5 times more Invisalign treatment patient starts were reported as a result of using the Invisalign Outcome Simulator on the scanner 2 by giving the dental patient and the practitioner the ability to visualise Invisalign treatment outcomes together.

The scheme runs until 31st March 2023. For more information about investing in an iTero digital scanner please visit www.iTero.com.

Align Technology has reported that its first virtual Align UKI Orthodontic Summit for British and Irish orthodontists and orthodontic therapists on 26th and 27th February 2021 was attended by nearly 200 delegates.

The UKI Summit was opened by Align Technology’s senior vice president and managing director, EMEA Markus Sebastian who underlined the untapped opportunity of 150 million patients in the EMEA region who could benefit from straightened teeth. He stressed the great strides the company has achieved with its most recent innovations, including advances to the aligner function with the introduction of G8 which optimises tooth movements and further improves predictability when treating crowding, crossbite, and deep bite cases. Also new is a software upgrade with the introduction ClinCheck Pro 6.0 with the introduction of 3D controls, and the new iTero Plus Element Series which facilitates the complete digitalisation of orthodontic practices.

The two-day event was held to showcase these advances in the hands of experienced orthodontic specialists including Drs Graham Gardner (UK), Willy Dayan (Canada), Susana Palma (Spain), Rafi Romano (Israel), Catherine McCanny (UK), and Alastair Smith (UK).

The presentation by Dr Graham Gardner was an opportunity to show delegates how he uses virtual monitoring to oversee his cases and to describe how to troubleshoot issues early and manage any tracking problems which may arise with the objective of getting the teeth back on track without necessarily requiring additional aligners. As he commented: “The ClinCheck software is analogous to the architect`s plans. Not only must the plan be achievable and practical, but just as a builder reviews plans continuously to achieve the required building, so the orthodontist should regularly review the patient’s ClinCheck and treatment plan to make sure the required outcome is on track. The combination of the Invisalign system and remote monitoring has allowed us to improve the efficiency of the orthodontic treatment while simultaneously improving treatment outcomes with the addition of remote monitoring tools. I am thankful that the majority of my practice is Invisalign-focused as this has allowed us to weather the Covid-19 storm far more effectively”

In his lecture Dr Willy Dayan took delegates through his 20-year biomechanical journey with the Invisalign system, sharing some of the most complex and challenging cases and expanding on what he can achieve with meticulous planning that he cannot achieve with fixed braces. He advised delegates that “Orthodontists try complex cases, and sometimes they don’t achieve the desired outcome, so they think it is not working and then they fall back to their old ways. If they learn to put their feet in the water, work out how to transition through challenges with aligners and undertake complex cases, this will result in faster and better treatments with less appointments and less effort on the part of the clinician, and with happier patients. The current pandemic has highlighted how much easier it has been treating patients, leveraging digital tools and clear aligners. Aligner patients need fewer appointments and less repairs, whilst brackets and wires require services that are much more challenging”.

His comments were echoed by Dr Susana Palma who has achieved international awards in recognition of her work in solving complex orthodontic cases using the Invisalign system. Her presentations focused on the diagnostic and biomechanical considerations in planning an array of different malocclusions. She explained how she harnessed the Invisalign system to treat complex adult and teen cases, and travelled through some of the perceived obstacles orthodontists raise about treating complex cases with the Invisalign system, to show them how to achieve exemplary results with clear aligners. Dr Palma commented: “I treat almost all my patients with the Invisalign system as no matter how complex cases are, it allows me to achieve the best results with the maximum comfort for my patients. I do not have any preference about the age of the patient, as I believe it is the best system to treat all my patients”.

Dr Rafi Romano shared the steps he took as he worked through some of his most challenging cases, addressing the interdisciplinary digital workflow required when treating complex ortho/restorative cases. He concluded: “My advice to peers is to try treating with Invisalign clear aligners. Not because you might lag behind other local doctors who are embracing it, but because you need to arm yourself with the best tools now for where you want to be in a few years to come”.

Dr Alastair Smith also commented on the Align digital practice tools and showed delegates how to achieve a fully digital practice. He stated that the Covid-19 pandemic had accelerated the adoption of digitalisation and the Align tools are now more pertinent than ever at

dismantling any perceived barriers which might have prevented patients from having orthodontic treatment. He commented: “4 years ago, the majority of our work was the treadmill of fixed braces. Now, we are 80% Invisalign-focused and 20% fixed. We are treating more patients with less clinical time and less clinical staff. It is a new paradigm for us and we are not planning to go back”.

Dr Smith talked about the opportunity to leverage the latest advances in technology and the willingness of consumers to embrace this technology. He stressed how it is important to make the team an integral part of the patient journey, and to rethink how to plan and treat patients, creating a smarter more streamlined environment, and most importantly to design the true outcome before starting to build it. He concluded “Think of other industries and imagine an architect or engineer not designing an outcome before starting to conceive a car or build a bridge”?

Dr Catherine McCanny shared her personal growth experience using the Invisalign system for complex teen cases, and gave delegates tips on how to increase the number of teens and younger patients asking for treatment with the Invisalign system in preference to fixed appliances. She admitted how sceptical she was three years ago and how she changed her mind-set and is now following an Invisalign teen-focused strategy. “If I can do it, you can do it too”.

On the second day, Dr McCanny emphasised the importance of the role of a Treatment Coordinator in the patient journey and recommended her peers try to see the time during the pandemic as an opportunity to reset the button and embrace digital technology, even more so with the numerous new digital tools provided by Align Technology.

Align’s Marketing Director Dan Parsons provided delegates with an overview of 24 years of Align innovation and expanded on the most recent software innovations including ClinCheck Pro 6.0 and In-Face Visualisation, along with aligner advances including new G8 features. He described how the company leverages data from more than 9 million patients across the globe to help doctors enhance their skills and the patient experience.

Senior Technology Fellow for Align Technology, John Morton detailed the engineering fundamentals behind the Invisalign system and focused on the latest G8 innovation with SmartTrack and SmartForce aligner activation which integrates optimal forces to treat crowding, cross bite and deep bite cases more effectively and predictably. As he stated “It is better to design everything upfront via digital system to make sure that you minimise the probability that it is going to go off track. We are able to control the force system with high precision and this is where the future comes to be. The application of the shapes of the aligners and attachments to temporarily alter the shape of the teeth will allow us to get better control over treatment and treat much more difficult cases as time progresses”.

Senior Business Optimisation Consultants Vikki Young and Rachael Hart from Align Technology presented the new Align Digital and Practice Transformation (ADAPT) consultancy service now available to orthodontists. The service is designed to help optimise their practice’s operational workflow and processes to enhance patients’ experiences and increase customer and staff satisfaction, leading to higher growth and greater efficiencies. So far 100 ADAPT projects have been carried out across EMEA in 20 countries with results showing an increase of 109% of approved Invisalign treatment plans and an average 31% growth in practice revenue.1

They were followed by Director of Consumer Marketing for Align Technology, Brooke Radich, who shared insights into the dramatically changing consumer landscape and explained that the company accelerated the development of new digital products to keep dental professionals connected with patients and treatments on track during a most challenging year. Brooke also challenged the audience to do things differently: to be present, accessible and consistent, in order to take advantage of the unprecedented consumer demand.

The Summit was closed by Align’s General Manager UKI (Specialist Orthodontists), Abigail Lander, who stated that 2021 is a year of opportunities, as the orthodontic community is making huge strides and starting to embrace all things digital, implementing new practice development programmes, and participating in the wealth of virtual education and forums available, especially over the past 12 months. She concluded that Align Technology will make continuous investment in marketing to drive consumer demand to practices, including a focus on parents and teens. For more information about Align Technology please visit https://www.aligntech.com/.