Align Technology Reaches 6 Millionth Invisalign® Patient Milestone With Tween Patient From China

• 12-year old Yuzhe Wang from Beijing, China is in treatment with Invisalign trained doctor Jiawei Wo using Invisalign Comprehensive with Mandibular Advancement
  
• Accelerating adoption of Invisalign clear aligner treatment globally reflects Align’s continued investment in product innovation and commitment to international expansion

BEIJING and SAN JOSE, Calif., Dec. 17, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Align Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALGN) today announced that over 6 million patients have begun treatment with Invisalign - the most advanced clear aligner system in the world, including 1.4 million teenage patients*. This is a significant milestone for the company and the over 150,000 Invisalign-trained doctors worldwide, reflecting accelerating adoption of Invisalign treatment by adults and teens alike.

The 6 millionth Invisalign patient, Yuzhe Wang, is a 12-year-old student of the International School of Beijing, who began treatment in October 2018 using Invisalign Comprehensive with Mandibular Advancement treatment with Dr. Jiawei Wo from Yuxueyuan Dental clinic. Dr. Wo is a Gold Invisalign trained doctor based in Beijing, China who specializes in pediatric orthodontics. 

Dr. Wo prescribed Invisalign clear aligner therapy to his patient Yuzhe Wang to address her class II type of teeth misalignment and because it fit well into her busy, student lifestyle: “Invisalign treatment with Mandibular Advancement is great, because it moves the lower jaw forward, while simultaneously aligning the teeth. With the Invisalign system, my patients need much fewer appointments than with traditional orthodontic appliances. This allows them to continue their studies and daily activities without interruption”.

“We are delighted to be celebrating another significant milestone with Invisalign trained doctors and their patients. This achievement is a reflection of growing demand for Invisalign clear aligners from international markets, especially China, which is our second largest market, nearly doubling each year since the Invisalign system was launched in China back in 2011. I would like to thank Dr. Jiawei Wo and all of the Invisalign trained doctors around the world for helping us make Invisalign treatment the clear aligner orthodontic method of choice among teens such as Yuzhe, as well as for giving our patients a chance to have beautiful, straight teeth and smile with confidence” – said Joe Hogan, Align Technology president and CEO.

Julie Tay, Align Technology senior vice president and managing director, Asia Pacific recognized the importance of the 6 millionth Invisalign patient coming from China: “I was absolutely delighted and proud to hear that 6 millionth patient is from Asia Pacific. China is our fastest growing country market with approximately 70% annual growth rate**. I believe there is an enormous opportunity in the region for Invisalign providers to treat millions of young patients like Yuzhe. I would like to thank Dr. Wo for his confidence in treating Yuzhe with the Invisalign system, and Yuzhe’s parents for trusting that it is the best solution for their daughter.”

In support of this major milestone for the company, Yuzhe will be featured in an upcoming Invisalign global campaign, entitled “6 Million Invisalign Smiles” that will follow Yuzhe and her family through her Invisalign treatment journey. The campaign will highlight key reasons why she and her parents decided to choose Invisalign clear aligners to help her achieve a new, beautiful smile. 

To mark this significant milestone, Align Technology continues its commitment to Operation Smile and the non-profit’s global mission of providing free surgeries to children and adults born with cleft lip and cleft palate. Align will donate to the organization. To date, Align has given close to $1 million to Operation Smile which was founded in 1982 and has provided hundreds of thousands of life-changing surgeries.

*Q3 2018 Data. **Q3 2018 Data. 

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 to 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 doctor in your area, please visit www.invisalign.com. For additional information about iTero digital scanning system, please visit www.itero.com.

About Operation Smile
Operation Smile has provided hundreds of thousands of safe, essential surgeries for patients born with cleft lip and cleft palate. With more than three decades of expertise, Operation Smile creates solutions that deliver free surgery to people where it’s needed most. As one of the largest medical volunteer-based nonprofits, Operation Smile has mobilized thousands of medical volunteers from a wide range of medical specialties from more than 80 countries. Operation Smile engages public-private partnerships to advance health care delivery, trains local medical professionals to provide surgical care for patients in their communities, donates critical medical equipment and supplies, and increases access to surgical care so that everyone living with cleft is treated. Visit www.operationsmile.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

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Align Technology
Madelyn Homick
mhomick@aligntech.com

Zeno Group
Sarah Johnson
sarah.johnson@zenogroup.com

Source: Align Technology

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