What Align Technology does

Align Technology, Inc. is a global medical device company headquartered in Tempe, Arizona, founded in 1997 and publicly traded on NASDAQ under the ticker ALGN. The company designs, manufactures, and markets the Invisalign System, the most widely adopted clear aligner orthodontic treatment, alongside iTero intraoral scanners and exocad CAD/CAM restorative software. Across approximately 20,000 employees and operations in 40+ countries, Align serves orthodontists, general practitioner (GP) dentists, and dental service organizations (DSOs), having treated more than 22.8 million patients cumulatively, including roughly 6.8 million teens and kids.

The product platform combines 3D-printed custom aligners, digital intraoral scanning, and AI-assisted treatment planning (ClinCheck and emerging 3D Soft Tissue Animation), with adjacent restorative workflows enabled by the 2020 exocad acquisition and the 2023 Cubicure acquisition for additive manufacturing. Manufacturing footprint includes Tempe (HQ/production), Juarez, Costa Rica, and a $200 million Hyderabad, India facility scheduled to begin operations in 2027. Revenue is generated through three streams: Invisalign clear aligner sales (subscription-like recurring per-case economics), iTero scanner hardware sales, and software/subscription services including exocad CAD/CAM and the Align Oral Health Suite. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; distribution is direct enterprise field sales globally, supplemented by partnerships with practice-management platforms (Henry Schein One's Dentrix family), DSOs (Heartland Dental), and AI imaging partners (VideaHealth).

Strategically, Align is positioning for international expansion, GP dentist "treat and refer," and consumer demand conversion, while navigating 2025–2026 headwinds: activist involvement by Elliott Investment Management, a mixed set of rulings in its UPC Düsseldorf patent dispute against Angelalign, a slowing revenue growth profile (~$4.0B in 2025 versus $3.95B in 2021), and an ongoing board leadership transition with Kevin Conroy succeeding C. Raymond Larkin Jr. as Chairman on July 1, 2026. Capital return is signaled by a $1.0 billion repurchase authorization (April 2025) with a $200 million open-market tranche announced in May 2026.

Name

Align Technology

Legal name

Align Technology, Inc.

Website

https://aligntech.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Align Technology is a global medical device company that designs and manufactures Invisalign clear aligners, iTero intraoral scanners, and exocad CAD/CAM software, serving orthodontists, GP dentists, and dental service organizations across 40+ countries with approximately $4.1 billion in annual revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Orthodontic devices

NAICS

Dental Laboratories (339116), Dental Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing (339114), Surgical and Medical Instrument Manufacturing (339112)

SIC

Dental Equipment & Supplies (3843), Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841)

akta.pro primary industry

Clear Aligner Orthodontics (HLABABAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Orthodontic Appliances & Aligners Fabrication (HLABAJAD), Medical & Dental 3D Printing Services (patient-specific devices, dental labs) (IMAAADAG), Intraoral Optical Scanning & Digital Impression Centers (HLABAIAE), 3D Printing/Additive Manufacturing for Dental Prosthetics (HLABAJAF)

Keywords

• Clear aligner systems
• Intraoral scanners
• Digital orthodontics
• CAD/CAM software
• 3D printed dental appliances

Headquarters

HQ city

Tempe

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Clear Aligner Sales: Primary revenue stream from selling Invisalign clear aligners to orthodontists and dentists
2. Scanner Sales: iTero intraoral scanner hardware sales to dental practices
3. Software/Subscription Services: Software services and subscription offerings for digital workflow integration

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Align Technology designs, manufactures, and markets the Invisalign clear aligner system for treating malocclusion, iTero intraoral scanners for digital dental impressions, and exocad CAD/CAM software for restorative dentistry workflows. Its integrated digital platform combines proprietary 3D printing, AI-driven treatment planning, and intraoral scanning to deliver custom orthodontic and restorative solutions to dental professionals globally.

Product overview

Align Technology operates as a global medical device company offering an integrated digital orthodontics and restorative dentistry platform. The core product portfolio centers on the Invisalign System (clear aligners trusted by 22.8+ million patients) and iTero intraoral scanners, complemented by exocad CAD/CAM software for restorative workflows. The platform also includes the Align Oral Health Suite and various treatment innovations such as the Specifix 3D Printed Attachment System, integrated buttons, and palatal expanders. Recent additions include 3D Soft Tissue Animation for treatment visualization and AI-driven treatment planning capabilities. The company produces nearly one million unique clear aligner parts per day through its global manufacturing operations, serving orthodontists and general dentists through an integrated digital workflow spanning scanning, treatment planning, and appliance manufacturing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Invisalign System: The world's most advanced clear aligner system, trusted by over 22 million people worldwide to improve their smiles.
• iTero Scanners
• Invisalign First Retainer
• Invisalign Specifix 3D Printed Attachment System
• Invisalign Palatal Expander
• Invisalign ART
• 3D Soft Tissue Animation

Products and services

• Invisalign System Custom-made clear aligner orthodontic treatment system used by dental professionals to treat malocclusion and teeth misalignment in teens, kids, and adults. Trusted by over 22.8 million patients worldwide.
• iTero Intraoral Scanners Digital intraoral scanners used by dental practices to capture 3D dental impressions, supporting Invisalign case submission and broader digital dentistry workflows.
• exocad CAD/CAM Software Computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) software for restorative dentistry workflows, enabling dental professionals to design and manufacture dental restorations as part of Align's digital platform.
• Align Oral Health Suite

Quantifiable outcome

• 22.8 million patients treated with Invisalign clear aligners

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability7 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Heartland DentalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025Strategic partnership with Heartland Dental involving data integration and iTero scanner connectivity across supported dental practices. Deep integration with VideaHealth AI technology.
• Henry Schein OnecoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration between iTero scanners and Henry Schein One's Dentrix practice management platforms. Enables direct data flow from scanners to practice management software.
• VideaHealthcoreTechnology or IntegrationAI dental technology partnership enabling AI-powered imaging analysis and treatment planning within Align's digital ecosystem.
• University of BernminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Swiss Oral Health Study using iTero scanning technology for academic research purposes.
• Spear EducationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProfessional education partnership providing training and education resources for dental professionals.
• DanceOneminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for young athletes focusing on sports and athletic performance contexts.
• Canadian Foundation for the Advancement of OrthodonticsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCharitable partnership supporting the Smiles4Canada initiative providing orthodontic access programs.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Dentsply Sirona: Largest dental equipment and consumables manufacturer globally. Sells orthodontic, imaging, and CAD/CAM solutions (including clear aligner-related products via its SureSmile platform) and competes head-to-head with Align across iTero-class imaging and digital orthodontics workflows.
• Envista Holdings (including Ormco/Spark): Dental products group whose Ormco subsidiary sells the Spark clear aligner system and orthodontic brackets directly competing with Invisalign. Comparable target customer (orthodontists), same digital workflow narrative, and the most direct clear aligner competitor.
• Angelalign Technology: China-based clear aligner company and Align's primary global competitor. Competes on price-sensitive clear aligner treatment, especially across APAC and increasingly in Europe where Align has pending or lost IP disputes against it.
• Straumann Group: Swiss dental implants and orthodontics leader with its ClearCorrect clear aligner brand. Targets a similar dentist/orthodontist customer base and increasingly pushes into digitally integrated orthodontic workflows, overlapping with Align's iTero+exocad ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• 3M (Oral Care Solutions / Solventum): Broad incumbent across dental and orthodontic supplies, including Clarity clear aligners and traditional orthodontic brackets. Larger, more diversified portfolio than Align, but directly overlaps in the orthodontic and digital dentistry value chain.
• Henry Schein: Largest dental distributor in North America and Align's integration partner for Dentrix practice management software. While not a manufacturer of aligners, it shapes access to orthodontic practices and is a key channel + ecosystem counterparty for Align.

Emerging players

• SmileDirectClub: Direct-to-consumer clear aligner competitor that pioneered the at-home impression / remote monitoring model. Targeted the same adult aesthetic patient that anchors Invisalign's consumer demand, illustrating the disruptive DTC threat on Align's premium positioning.
• Candid Health (Candid Co.): Hybrid doctor-directed clear aligner company (now Candid Health) that overlaps with Align's adult aesthetic segment. Targets the dentist-channel with a more price-flexible model and represents the doctor-network hybrid segment of the market.
• 3Shape: Intraoral scanner and CAD/CAM software vendor whose TRIOS scanners compete directly with Align's iTero line in dental practices. Compares on the scanner + digital workflow layer of Align's stack.

Regional players

• Carestream Dental: Global dental imaging and practice management software vendor with strong presence in orthodontic and oral surgery segments. Competes with iTero primarily in imaging and scanning workflows across EMEA, APAC, and the Americas.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/align-technology

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors10 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A4 records

Investments9 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Align Technology