SANTA CLARA, Calif., Nov 17, 2009 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX News Network) -- Align Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq:ALGN) today announced that the Company's professional education website, Aligntechinstitute.com, has received a Silver Award in the 2009 W3 Awards competition and was honored for outstanding interactive media work in the "Health Care Services" category. Aligntechinstitute.com is a dynamic, interactive website that provides Invisalign product support, instructor-led and web-based continuing education courses, and other clinical and practice resources for Invisalign practitioners.

"Align has a rich history of innovation, not only with Invisalign products and technology, but also with the clinical and practice development education we develop for dental professionals," said Align's Vice President, Clinical Education Kathy Farley, MS, RN. "We are very proud to have Aligntechinstitute.com recognized as a Silver Award winner in this category. This is an incredible honor and it validates Align's hard work, effort, and commitment to professional education."

The W3 Awards competition honors and recognizes creative excellence on the web, and recognizes the creative and marketing professionals behind award winning sites, marketing programs, and video work created for the web. The W3 is sanctioned and judged by the International Academy of the Visual Arts (IAVA), an invitation-only board consisting of top-tier professionals from acclaimed media, interactive, advertising, and marketing firms. Currently in its fourth year, the W3 Awards received nearly 3,000 entries for this year's competition. Website entries are judged according to a standard of excellence as determined by the IAVA, and are based on the following factors: creativity, usability, navigation, functionality, visual design, and ease of use.

Aligntechinstitute.com

Since its launch in January 2008, the website has had more than 300,000 unique visitors and has awarded more than 25,000 continuing education (CE) hours to dental professionals. Aligntechinstitute.com builds on Align's extensive clinical education curriculum of hundreds of live instructor-led educational events held across the country each year and includes accredited (CE) and non-accredited courses, peer-led webinars and webcasts, video case studies and podcasts, real-time treatment blogs, video testimonials from Invisalign doctors, and other downloadable content. Aligntechinstitute.com offers a continuum of learning for doctors and their teams -- from prospective Align customers to the most experienced Invisalign practices. Courses and examinations can be completed at a dental professional's own pace and are available at any time, year round. The benefits and flexibility of being able to complete continuing education online are evidenced by the overwhelming, positive response to the website since its inception.

About Align Technology, Inc.

Align Technology designs, manufactures and markets Invisalign, a proprietary method for treating malocclusion, or the misalignment of teeth. Invisalign corrects malocclusion using a series of clear, nearly invisible, removable appliances that gently move teeth to a desired final position. Because it does not rely on the use of metal or ceramic brackets and wires, Invisalign significantly reduces the aesthetic and other limitations associated with braces. Invisalign is appropriate for treating adults and teens. Align Technology was founded in March 1997 and received FDA clearance to market Invisalign in 1998. Today, the Invisalign product family includes Invisalign, Invisalign Teen, Invisalign Assist, Invisalign Express, and Vivera Retainers.

To learn more about Invisalign or to find a certified Invisalign doctor in your area, please visit www.invisalign.com or call 1-800-INVISIBLE.

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SOURCE: Align Technology

CONTACT:  Align Technology, Inc.
Investor Relations Contact
Shirley Stacy
(408) 470-1150
sstacy@aligntech.com
Ethos Communication, Inc.
Press Contact
Shannon Mangum Henderson
(678) 261-7803
align@ethoscommunication.com

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