{"success":true,"data":{"pressRelease":{"id":"51263","rtpr_id":"nBw1cqg33a","ticker":"ALGN","exchange":"NASDAQ","all_tickers":["ALGN"],"title":"Align Technology Awards Funding to Universities Worldwide for Advancing Orthodontic and Dental Research","author":"Business Wire","published_at":"2026-06-01T20:00:00.070Z","article_body":"Align Technology Awards Funding to Universities Worldwide for Advancing\nOrthodontic and Dental Research\n\n$300,000 in Research Grants Awarded as Part of its Ongoing Annual Research\nAwards Program\n\nAlign Technology, Inc. (“Align”) (Nasdaq: ALGN), a leading global medical\ndevice company that designs, manufactures, and sells the Invisalign(®) System\nof clear aligners, iTero™ intraoral scanners, and exocad™ CAD/CAM software\nfor digital orthodontics and restorative dentistry, today announced the award\nof twelve research grants to universities under the company’s fifteenth\nAnnual Research Award Program.\n\n“Research and clinical evidence continue to be at the core of advancing\nscience, which furthers innovation and clinical treatments,” said Dr. Mitra\nDerakhshan, Align executive vice president, chief clinical officer, global\ntreatment planning and clinical services. “We remain committed to supporting\nuniversity research worldwide and the meaningful impact it drives in shaping\nthe future of the orthodontic and dental profession.”\n\nThe Americas research award recipients for 2026 are:\n\n\n * University of Florida (Gainesville, FL) Primary Investigator - Dr. Isil Aras\n\n * University of Florida (Gainesville, FL) Primary Investigator - Dr. Sarah\nHisham Abu Arqub\n\n * Southern Illinois University (Edwardsville, IL) Primary Investigator - Dr.\nFeras Al Khatib\n\n * University of Alabama (Birmingham, AL) Primary Investigator - Dr. Navdeep\nBhusri\n\nThe European research award recipients for 2026 are:\n\n\n * Francisco de Vitoria University (Madrid, Spain) Primary Investigator - Dr.\nIván Nieto Sánchez\n\n * Johann Wolfgang Goethe University (Frankfurt, Germany) Primary Investigator -\nDr. Babak Sayahpour\n\n * University of Insubria (Varese and Como, Italy) Primary Investigator - Dr.\nLuca Levrini\n\n * Vita-Salute San Raffaele University (Milan, Italy) Primary Investigator - Dr.\nAndrea Boggio\n\nThe Asia Pacific research award recipients for 2026 are:\n\n\n * Wuhan University (Wuhan, China) Primary Investigator - Dr. Sanjie Yeweng\n\n * Sichuan University (Chengdu, China) Primary Investigator - Dr. Juan Li\n\n * Taipei Medical University (Taipei City, Taiwan) Primary Investigator - Dr.\nDaniel De-Shing Chen\n\n * Shandong University (Jinan, China) Primary Investigator - Dr. Hui Chen\n\n“The scope of research supported through this program highlights the\nimportant role of scientific inquiry in advancing dentistry,” said John\nMorton, Align vice president, technical fellow. “We are proud to support\ninvestigators whose work can deepen clinical understanding, inform treatment\napproaches, and ultimately improve patient care worldwide.”\n\nThe funded research studies cover a wide range of topics, including:\n\nApical root resorption during anterior retraction, early and late restoration\nof maxillary laterals during aligner treatment, evaluation of the Invisalign\nPalatal Expander and traditional expanders in mixed dentition, white spot\nlesion activity between fixed appliances and aligners, stability of alignment\nin retention with various protocols, anterior tooth movement with lingual\nversus buccal attachments, and characteristics of enamel during aligner\ntreatment by using scanning electron microscopy and optical microscopy.\n\nAll award applications received were first reviewed and prioritized in a blind\nevaluation by an independent academic committee. The final recipients were\nthen determined by Align Technology.\n\nAbout Align Technology, Inc.\n\nAlign Technology designs and manufactures the Invisalign® System, the most\nadvanced clear aligner system in the world, iTero™ intraoral scanners and\nservices, and exocad™ CAD/CAM software. These technology building blocks\nenable enhanced digital orthodontic and restorative workflows to improve\npatient outcomes and practice efficiencies for approximately 299.5 thousand\ndoctor customers and are key to accessing Align’s 600 million consumer\nmarket opportunity worldwide. Over the past 29 years, Align has helped doctors\ntreat approximately 22.8 million patients with the Invisalign System and is\ndriving the evolution in digital dentistry through the Align™ Digital\nPlatform, our integrated suite of unique, proprietary technologies and\nservices delivered as a seamless, end-to-end solution for patients and\nconsumers, orthodontists and GP dentists, and lab/partners. Visit\nwww.aligntech.com\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aligntech.com&esheet=54544292&newsitemid=20260601852092&lan=en-US&anchor=www.aligntech.com&index=1&md5=b5067bf15d6cec9fbe49221b2992c647)\nfor more information.\n\nFor additional information about the Invisalign system or to find an\nInvisalign doctor in your area, please visit www.invisalign.com\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.invisalign.com&esheet=54544292&newsitemid=20260601852092&lan=en-US&anchor=www.invisalign.com&index=2&md5=cbfb5bc55577ddb85059ea9a954e07ad)\n. For additional information about the iTero digital scanning system, please\nvisit www.itero.com\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.itero.com&esheet=54544292&newsitemid=20260601852092&lan=en-US&anchor=www.itero.com&index=3&md5=adcca65d05c46d55ac7d328717be0a8d)\n. For additional information about exocad dental CAD/CAM offerings and a list\nof exocad reseller partners, please visit www.exocad.com\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.exocad.com&esheet=54544292&newsitemid=20260601852092&lan=en-US&anchor=www.exocad.com&index=4&md5=061cae2685feb055ced54c79160cf688)\n.\n\nInvisalign, iTero, exocad, Align, Align Digital Platform and iTero Lumina are\ntrademarks of Align Technology, Inc.\n\n\n\nView source version on businesswire.com:\nhttps://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260601852092/en/\n(https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260601852092/en/)\n\nAlign Technology \n\nMadelyn Valente\n\n(909) 833-5839\n\nmvalente@aligntech.com (mailto:mvalente@aligntech.com)\n\nZeno Group \n\nSarah Karlson\n\n(828) 551-4201\n\nsarah.karlson@zenogroup.com (mailto:sarah.karlson@zenogroup.com)\n\n\nCopyright Business Wire 2026","article_body_html":"","raw_payload":{"data":{"id":"nBw1cqg33a","title":"Align Technology Awards Funding to Universities Worldwide for Advancing Orthodontic and Dental Research","author":"Business Wire","ticker":"ALGN","created":"2026-06-01T20:00:00.070Z","tickers":["ALGN"],"exchange":"NASDAQ","article_body":"Align Technology Awards Funding to Universities Worldwide for Advancing\nOrthodontic and Dental Research\n\n$300,000 in Research Grants Awarded as Part of its Ongoing Annual Research\nAwards Program\n\nAlign Technology, Inc. (“Align”) (Nasdaq: ALGN), a leading global medical\ndevice company that designs, manufactures, and sells the Invisalign(®) System\nof clear aligners, iTero™ intraoral scanners, and exocad™ CAD/CAM software\nfor digital orthodontics and restorative dentistry, today announced the award\nof twelve research grants to universities under the company’s fifteenth\nAnnual Research Award Program.\n\n“Research and clinical evidence continue to be at the core of advancing\nscience, which furthers innovation and clinical treatments,” said Dr. Mitra\nDerakhshan, Align executive vice president, chief clinical officer, global\ntreatment planning and clinical services. “We remain committed to supporting\nuniversity research worldwide and the meaningful impact it drives in shaping\nthe future of the orthodontic and dental profession.”\n\nThe Americas research award recipients for 2026 are:\n\n\n * University of Florida (Gainesville, FL) Primary Investigator - Dr. Isil Aras\n\n * University of Florida (Gainesville, FL) Primary Investigator - Dr. Sarah\nHisham Abu Arqub\n\n * Southern Illinois University (Edwardsville, IL) Primary Investigator - Dr.\nFeras Al Khatib\n\n * University of Alabama (Birmingham, AL) Primary Investigator - Dr. Navdeep\nBhusri\n\nThe European research award recipients for 2026 are:\n\n\n * Francisco de Vitoria University (Madrid, Spain) Primary Investigator - Dr.\nIván Nieto Sánchez\n\n * Johann Wolfgang Goethe University (Frankfurt, Germany) Primary Investigator -\nDr. Babak Sayahpour\n\n * University of Insubria (Varese and Como, Italy) Primary Investigator - Dr.\nLuca Levrini\n\n * Vita-Salute San Raffaele University (Milan, Italy) Primary Investigator - Dr.\nAndrea Boggio\n\nThe Asia Pacific research award recipients for 2026 are:\n\n\n * Wuhan University (Wuhan, China) Primary Investigator - Dr. Sanjie Yeweng\n\n * Sichuan University (Chengdu, China) Primary Investigator - Dr. Juan Li\n\n * Taipei Medical University (Taipei City, Taiwan) Primary Investigator - Dr.\nDaniel De-Shing Chen\n\n * Shandong University (Jinan, China) Primary Investigator - Dr. Hui Chen\n\n“The scope of research supported through this program highlights the\nimportant role of scientific inquiry in advancing dentistry,” said John\nMorton, Align vice president, technical fellow. “We are proud to support\ninvestigators whose work can deepen clinical understanding, inform treatment\napproaches, and ultimately improve patient care worldwide.”\n\nThe funded research studies cover a wide range of topics, including:\n\nApical root resorption during anterior retraction, early and late restoration\nof maxillary laterals during aligner treatment, evaluation of the Invisalign\nPalatal Expander and traditional expanders in mixed dentition, white spot\nlesion activity between fixed appliances and aligners, stability of alignment\nin retention with various protocols, anterior tooth movement with lingual\nversus buccal attachments, and characteristics of enamel during aligner\ntreatment by using scanning electron microscopy and optical microscopy.\n\nAll award applications received were first reviewed and prioritized in a blind\nevaluation by an independent academic committee. The final recipients were\nthen determined by Align Technology.\n\nAbout Align Technology, Inc.\n\nAlign Technology designs and manufactures the Invisalign® System, the most\nadvanced clear aligner system in the world, iTero™ intraoral scanners and\nservices, and exocad™ CAD/CAM software. These technology building blocks\nenable enhanced digital orthodontic and restorative workflows to improve\npatient outcomes and practice efficiencies for approximately 299.5 thousand\ndoctor customers and are key to accessing Align’s 600 million consumer\nmarket opportunity worldwide. Over the past 29 years, Align has helped doctors\ntreat approximately 22.8 million patients with the Invisalign System and is\ndriving the evolution in digital dentistry through the Align™ Digital\nPlatform, our integrated suite of unique, proprietary technologies and\nservices delivered as a seamless, end-to-end solution for patients and\nconsumers, orthodontists and GP dentists, and lab/partners. Visit\nwww.aligntech.com\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aligntech.com&esheet=54544292&newsitemid=20260601852092&lan=en-US&anchor=www.aligntech.com&index=1&md5=b5067bf15d6cec9fbe49221b2992c647)\nfor more information.\n\nFor additional information about the Invisalign system or to find an\nInvisalign doctor in your area, please visit www.invisalign.com\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.invisalign.com&esheet=54544292&newsitemid=20260601852092&lan=en-US&anchor=www.invisalign.com&index=2&md5=cbfb5bc55577ddb85059ea9a954e07ad)\n. For additional information about the iTero digital scanning system, please\nvisit www.itero.com\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.itero.com&esheet=54544292&newsitemid=20260601852092&lan=en-US&anchor=www.itero.com&index=3&md5=adcca65d05c46d55ac7d328717be0a8d)\n. For additional information about exocad dental CAD/CAM offerings and a list\nof exocad reseller partners, please visit www.exocad.com\n(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.exocad.com&esheet=54544292&newsitemid=20260601852092&lan=en-US&anchor=www.exocad.com&index=4&md5=061cae2685feb055ced54c79160cf688)\n.\n\nInvisalign, iTero, exocad, Align, Align Digital Platform and iTero Lumina are\ntrademarks of Align Technology, Inc.\n\n\n\nView source version on businesswire.com:\nhttps://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260601852092/en/\n(https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260601852092/en/)\n\nAlign Technology \n\nMadelyn Valente\n\n(909) 833-5839\n\nmvalente@aligntech.com (mailto:mvalente@aligntech.com)\n\nZeno Group \n\nSarah Karlson\n\n(828) 551-4201\n\nsarah.karlson@zenogroup.com (mailto:sarah.karlson@zenogroup.com)\n\n\nCopyright Business Wire 2026"},"type":"article","timestamp":"2026-06-01T20:00:00.144382896Z","server_sent_at_ms":1780344000144},"received_at":"2026-06-01T20:00:00.259Z","source_url":"https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260601852092/en/"},"analysis":{"id":"40698","press_release_id":"51263","analysis_json":{"industry":{"label":"Medical Devices","sector":"Health Care"},"redFlags":[],"eventType":"operations_update","narrative":"Align Technology awarded twelve research grants totaling $300,000 to universities across the Americas, Europe, and Asia Pacific under its fifteenth Annual Research Award Program.\n\nThe funded studies cover clinical topics such as root resorption, aligner stability, and enamel characteristics, aiming to advance scientific understanding in orthodontics.\n\nThis is a routine corporate sponsorship announcement with no direct impact on Align’s financial results or competitive landscape.","sentiment":"neutral","agentHooks":{"shouldPost":false,"suggestedAngle":"Routine CSR/research grant announcement; low signal for investors."},"keyFigures":{"customDimensions":{"grant_total":300000,"doctor_customers":299500,"patients_treated":22800000}},"quotedText":"Research and clinical evidence continue to be at the core of advancing science, which furthers innovation and clinical treatments","namedEntities":{"people":[{"name":"Dr. Mitra Derakhshan","role":"Executive Vice President, Chief Clinical Officer"},{"name":"John Morton","role":"Vice President, Technical Fellow"},{"name":"Dr. Isil Aras","role":"Primary Investigator"},{"name":"Dr. Sarah Hisham Abu Arqub","role":"Primary Investigator"},{"name":"Dr. Feras Al Khatib","role":"Primary Investigator"},{"name":"Dr. Navdeep Bhusri","role":"Primary Investigator"},{"name":"Dr. Iván Nieto Sánchez","role":"Primary Investigator"},{"name":"Dr. Babak Sayahpour","role":"Primary Investigator"},{"name":"Dr. Luca Levrini","role":"Primary Investigator"},{"name":"Dr. Andrea Boggio","role":"Primary Investigator"},{"name":"Dr. Sanjie Yeweng","role":"Primary Investigator"},{"name":"Dr. Juan Li","role":"Primary Investigator"},{"name":"Dr. Daniel De-Shing Chen","role":"Primary Investigator"},{"name":"Dr. Hui Chen","role":"Primary Investigator"}],"products":["Invisalign System","iTero intraoral scanners","exocad CAD/CAM software","Invisalign Palatal Expander"],"companies":[{"name":"Align Technology, Inc.","ticker":"ALGN"},{"name":"University of Florida","relationship":"research partner"},{"name":"Southern Illinois University","relationship":"research partner"},{"name":"University of Alabama","relationship":"research partner"},{"name":"Francisco de Vitoria University","relationship":"research partner"},{"name":"Johann Wolfgang Goethe University","relationship":"research partner"},{"name":"University of Insubria","relationship":"research partner"},{"name":"Vita-Salute San Raffaele University","relationship":"research partner"},{"name":"Wuhan University","relationship":"research partner"},{"name":"Sichuan University","relationship":"research partner"},{"name":"Taipei Medical University","relationship":"research partner"},{"name":"Shandong University","relationship":"research partner"},{"name":"Zeno Group","relationship":"PR agency"}],"dollarAmounts":[{"amount":"$300,000","context":"total research grants awarded"}]},"materialImpact":{"score":1,"reasoning":"Routine corporate social responsibility and research sponsorship announcement. The $300k grant total is immaterial relative to Align's market cap and revenue, and the news has no direct impact on near-term financials or competitive positioning."},"tickerRelevance":{"others":[],"primary":"ALGN"},"globalImportance":15,"audienceRelevance":25,"eventTypeSecondary":[],"importanceComponents":{"tickerTier":"large-cap","eventGravity":"low","sectorWeight":"healthcare","householdBrandBoost":"high","retailFavoriteBoost":"low"}},"event_type":"operations_update","event_type_secondary":null,"sentiment":"neutral","material_impact_score":1,"narrative":"Align Technology awarded twelve research grants totaling $300,000 to universities across the Americas, Europe, and Asia Pacific under its fifteenth Annual Research Award Program.\n\nThe funded studies cover clinical topics such as root resorption, aligner stability, and enamel characteristics, aiming to advance scientific understanding in orthodontics.\n\nThis is a routine corporate sponsorship announcement with no direct impact on Align’s financial results or competitive landscape.","key_figures":{"customDimensions":{"grant_total":300000,"doctor_customers":299500,"patients_treated":22800000}},"named_entities":{"people":[{"name":"Dr. Mitra Derakhshan","role":"Executive Vice President, Chief Clinical Officer"},{"name":"John Morton","role":"Vice President, Technical Fellow"},{"name":"Dr. Isil Aras","role":"Primary Investigator"},{"name":"Dr. Sarah Hisham Abu Arqub","role":"Primary Investigator"},{"name":"Dr. Feras Al Khatib","role":"Primary Investigator"},{"name":"Dr. Navdeep Bhusri","role":"Primary Investigator"},{"name":"Dr. Iván Nieto Sánchez","role":"Primary Investigator"},{"name":"Dr. Babak Sayahpour","role":"Primary Investigator"},{"name":"Dr. Luca Levrini","role":"Primary Investigator"},{"name":"Dr. Andrea Boggio","role":"Primary Investigator"},{"name":"Dr. Sanjie Yeweng","role":"Primary Investigator"},{"name":"Dr. Juan Li","role":"Primary Investigator"},{"name":"Dr. Daniel De-Shing Chen","role":"Primary Investigator"},{"name":"Dr. Hui Chen","role":"Primary Investigator"}],"products":["Invisalign System","iTero intraoral scanners","exocad CAD/CAM software","Invisalign Palatal Expander"],"companies":[{"name":"Align Technology, Inc.","ticker":"ALGN"},{"name":"University of Florida","relationship":"research partner"},{"name":"Southern Illinois University","relationship":"research partner"},{"name":"University of Alabama","relationship":"research partner"},{"name":"Francisco de Vitoria University","relationship":"research partner"},{"name":"Johann Wolfgang Goethe University","relationship":"research partner"},{"name":"University of Insubria","relationship":"research partner"},{"name":"Vita-Salute San Raffaele University","relationship":"research partner"},{"name":"Wuhan University","relationship":"research partner"},{"name":"Sichuan University","relationship":"research partner"},{"name":"Taipei Medical University","relationship":"research partner"},{"name":"Shandong University","relationship":"research partner"},{"name":"Zeno Group","relationship":"PR agency"}],"dollarAmounts":[{"amount":"$300,000","context":"total research grants awarded"}]},"model_name":"qwen3_6_27b_awq","prompt_hash":"sha256:727b4b9429a443af","schema_hash":"sha256:05005c02d9cffac9","created_at":"2026-06-01T20:01:19.170Z","global_importance":15,"audience_relevance":25,"importance_components":{"tickerTier":"large-cap","eventGravity":"low","sectorWeight":"healthcare","householdBrandBoost":"high","retailFavoriteBoost":"low"}},"durationMs":78890,"modelName":"george-droid-qwen-72b"}}