SAN JOSE, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 05/10/17 -- Align Technology, Inc.(NASDAQ: ALGN) today announced twelve recipients of research grants under the company's Annual Research Award Program. Now in its eighth year of funding, nearly $300,000 is being awarded for 2017 to researchers at universities in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. The global interest and research of clear aligner therapy continues to grow as evidenced by the increasing number of applications Align Technology receives each year from universities all over the globe.

"As leaders in clear aligner therapy, we are committed to the advancement of the orthodontic and dental fields. Innovations in technology have provided more insight than ever before into clinical and scientific research, and we are pleased to support universities around the world aimed at the improvement of dental and orthodontic patient care," said Zelko Relic, Align Technology vice president of research and development.

The North American research award recipients for 2017 are:

• Dr. Iacopo Cioffi at the University of Toronto (Toronto, Canada)
• Dr. June Harewood at Columbia University (New York, NY)
• Dr. Miroslav Tolar at University of the Pacific (San Francisco, CA)
• Dr. J. Martin Palomo at Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland, OH)

The European research award recipients for 2017 are:

• Dr. Vincenzo D'Anto at the University of Naples Federico II (Naples, Italy)
• Dr. Losif Sifakakis at National Kapodistrian University of Athens (Athens, Greece)
• Dr. Padhraig Fleming at Queen Mary University of London (Whitechapel, London)
• Dr. Patricia de Leyva Moreno at Alcala de Henares University (Madrid, Spain)
• Dr. Angela Galeotti at Bambino Gesu Children's and Research Hospital (Rome, Italy)

The Asian research award recipients for 2017 are:

• Dr. Wenli Lai at Sichuan University (Chengdu, China)
• Dr. Yu Li at Sichuan University (Chengdu, China)
• Dr. Shuyan Liu at Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Hangzhou, China)

The funded research studies cover a wide range of topics for projects seeking to better understand treatment in orthodontics and dentistry including: dentinogenesis imperfecta, removal of attachments, ClinCheck® software and final tooth position, Invisalign treatment versus fixed lingual appliance treatment, and effectiveness of Angle class II division 1 correction with clear aligners and multi-bracket fixed appliance.

All award applications received were reviewed and prioritized by an independent academic committee in a blind evaluation, with the final recipients 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, and iTero® intraoral scanners and services. Align's products help dental professionals achieve the clinical results they expect and deliver effective, cutting-edge dental options to their patients. Visit www.aligntech.com for more information.

For additional information about the Invisalign system or to find an Invisalign provider in your area, please visit www.invisalign.com. For additional information about iTero digital scanning system, please visit www.itero.com.

Investor Relations Contact
Yin Cantor
Align Technology, Inc.
(408) 470-1044
ycantor@aligntech.com

Press Contact
Shannon Mangum Henderson
Ethos Communication, Inc.
(678) 261-7803
align@ethoscommunication.com

Source: Align Technology

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