Align Technology Opens 2022 Research Award Program

Align Technology is offering up to $375,000 in grants to support dental research at universities worldwide.

Align Technology announced the opening of its 2022 Research Award Program to support clinical and scientific dental research in universities across the globe.

This year, up to $375,000 will be awarded to university faculty for scientific and technological research initiatives to advance patient care in the fields of orthodontics and dentistry.

Align Technology’s Research Award Program has funded approximately $2.4 million in research since its inception in 2010.

“The research supported by Align has provided valuable insights into important areas of oral healthcare and assessment, including intraoral scanning and patient experience, quality of life changes, as well as insights into the biochemical markers of bone metabolism during early orthodontic tooth movement with clear aligners,” said John Morton, Align vice president, product innovation and technical fellow. “We are honored to receive applications across a broad spectrum of scientific topics that relate to dentistry, clear aligner treatment, and intraoral scanning.”

Awards for dental research at universities are available in three regions – the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA), and Asia Pacific (APAC).

Eligible applicants for dental research awards include full-time and part-time faculty involved in dental or scientific research at universities where Invisalign treatment or the iTero scanner is available.

All applications are reviewed by an independent academic committee that forwards its recommendations to Align Technology for final selection. Program details, instructions, and application forms for prospective applicants can be found online.

“Align is committed to providing opportunities for universities to conduct research to advance the study of dental science and orthodontic treatment,” said Mitra Derakhshan, DDS, MS, Align vice president, global clinical. “We believe funding these research projects is so important to the advancement of dental and orthodontic treatment that we increased overall funding for the program.”