EVER SINCE ALIGN TECHNOLOGY PIONEERED THE
launch of clear aligners with its Invisalign® system
more than two decades ago, the San Jose–based
company has been shaking up the orthodontics
market. Today, Align employs 17,000-plus people
and has helped treat more than 9 million patients in
upwards of 100 countries worldwide.
In recognition of its success—which includes
surpassing a $30 billion market cap—the medical-
device company has been named to the 2020
Fortune Future 50 list. This honor ranks global
organizations with the most promising prospects for
long-term growth.
From the outset, Align has focused on the 15
million orthodontic case starts that occur around the
world each year. Over the past five years, the
company has gained even more international traction
by increasing clinical cases and launching targetedinnovations, such as Invisalign Teen
with Mandibular Advancement, as teen
orthodontic cases experienced a 30%
compound annual growth rate world-
wide in the past three years alone.
“We’ve reached a critical point where
a doctor who knows the Invisalign sys-
tem well understands that it can handle
some of the most severe orthodontic
cases,” says Joe Hogan, president,
CEO, and director of Align Technology.
Another major global opportunity for
Align is the estimated 500 million adults
who want to straighten their teeth with-
out the use of metal wires and brackets.
“The adult market is an incredibly
underpenetrated demographic,” says
Hogan. “We’re not just disrupting the
current orthodontic market. We’re ex-
panding orthodontics to the masses.”
In addition to its Invisalign prod-
ucts, Align Technology is leading the
evolution of digital dentistry with the
iTero® intraoral scanner and CAD/CAM
software. These technologies have
modernized orthodontics practices
by enabling enhanced digital tech-
niques and restorative workflows that
improve patient outcomes and office
efficiencies.
“We have the critical competency
to do broadly 90% of the world’s orth-
odontic cases,” says Hogan. “The chal-
lenge lies in helping doctors cross the
threshold from analog to digital to make
sure their practices remain efficient and
profitable.”
During the pandemic, Align’s
digital platform has made it possible for
thousands of doctors and patients to
continue Invisalign treatments via digital
care. The company has also utilized its
3D-printing technology to produce face
shields and medical swabs for COVID-19
testing kits.
“Going forward, we’re focused on
steering dentistry from analog to digital,”
says Hogan. “This also supports our
broader purpose to continue improving
smiles—and changing lives.” ■PROFILE 20 20 | FUTURE 50CONTENT FROM ALIGN TECHNOLOGYTHE INVISALIGN SYSTEM
HAS HELPED DOCTORS
TRANSFORM THE SMILES
AND LIVES OF MORE THAN
9 MILLION PATIENTS
AROUND THE WORLD.
An Indust ry Disrupter
Taps a New Market
As part of its long-term growth strategy, Align Technology
is focused on digital orthodontics for the masses.