Align Technology recently held the first annual Invisalign^® Scientific Symposium in person event post Covid-19 in Dubai. Can you share some key highlights from the event

The event was the first in-person edition of the Invisalign Scientific Symposium organised by Align Technology in two years. Something that was special about our flagship European event was that it was held in Dubai, in the Middle East, for the very first time, underlining Align Technology’s commitment to driving digital dental care and supporting the dental professional community in the region.

The event welcomed a total of 800 professionals from across the EMEA region, 140 of which attended in-person in Dubai on September 9 – 10, 2022.

Organised under the theme, ‘Patient-centric Clinical Excellence,’ the Symposium included insightful lectures from international speakers on key topics from within the orthodontic community, some of which included ‘the impact of technology on treatment experience’, ‘clinical outcomes in growing patients’, and ‘oral health during and post orthodontic treatment’.

During the event, Align Technology awarded Dr Suliman Shahin, from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for the ‘Best of Invisalign Scientific Symposium 2022’ for his insightful discourse on ‘Invisalign approach and scientific review on the management of periodontally challenging cases.’ Align also highlighted orthodontic work by post-graduate students, with the new EMEA Emerging Leader Award category, which was awarded for the first time to Dr. Ambra Sedran.

Other key sessions included a discussion on the principles and biomechanics of aligner treatment by Dr. Tommaso Castroflorio and Dr. Francesco Garino; Canine inclusion: Tads (temporary anchorage devices) and aligner strategy by Dr. Riccardo Capuozzo; Treatment of impacted teeth with Invisalign: a case series by Dr. Waddah Sabouni; Maxillary molar distalisation as part of aligner treatment in adults by Dr. Benedict Wilmes; Management of interdisciplinary orthognathic surgical cases with the Invisalign system by Dr. Thomas Felkai; Three-dimensional digital planning by  Dr. Simonetta Meuli and Dr. Federico Brugnami; The future of Growing Patients Orthodontics Dr Nelly Sanseverino; Invisalign First protocol-reduction of orthodontic treatment relapse by Dr. Silvia Caruso; and Comparison between two different expansion protocols in early mixed dentition  by Dr. Chiara Pavoni.

What was the event’s main message to dental professionals?

The purpose of the event was to showcase the latest innovations in digital dental care as well as to promote and embrace the use of these advanced technologies to uplift the quality of orthodontic care among practices.

We believe that events such as these will help to shine a light on the many benefits digital dentistry present and we aim to inspire doctors across the region to come together to share knowledge and experiences that will help future-proof and digitise their practices. Our main message to all dental professionals is that ‘digital dentistry is the future, so let’s get ahead of it now’.

How does education play a role in the digitisation of a dental practice?

The Invisalign Scientific Symposium is a clinical event – but we also showcase latest digital innovations. The format of the event includes a series of lectures by experts from across the world who not only provide a well-rounded view on the upcoming trends but also, how orthodontists can use clean aligner therapy as a treatment of choice and to promote better dental care practices.

The event’s format also aims to enhance the learning experience for doctors by creating a space for insightful discussions through networking sessions, as well as Invisalign^® clear aligner and iTero™ scanner live demos for attendees.

What are some of Align Technologies' latest innovations that are making an impact in the ME market?

Our new series in the iTero family, the iTero Element™ Plus series, which we launched in the region this year, is the latest instalment in the long timeline of innovations. These scanners truly take today’s orthodontic and restorative dentistry into the future with their innovative technology, thanks to providing an elevated patient experience and improved clinical precision of scanning in 3D. Its parallel confocal imaging technology uses optical and laser scanning to achieve accurate scans in colour. With applications for both orthodontic and restorative dentistry practices, iTero™ intraoral scans can be conducted within as little as 60 seconds and enable practitioners to track incremental changes in patients’ teeth over extended periods.

In addition to the iTero family, our Align Digital Platform™, which connects all our innovations under one umbrella of digital software solutions, is a unique suite of easy-to-adapt digital dentistry solutions that deliver a rich, integrated, and seamless end-to-end digital experience for doctors and patients. We are concentrating a lot on the digital platform to explore the opportunity of digitizing more practices in the future.

Finally, the Invisalign^® System, is the most advanced clear aligner system in the world, with 14 million patients worldwide. It can treat approximately 90% of orthodontic case starts – from minor, aesthetic teeth corrections to more complex cases. In all cases, it is the doctor who makes the assessment and recommends the treatment.

Where do you see the future of the dental industry heading in the ME?

This region is the cradle of the future. Today, the Middle East has become an incredible launchpad and global example of innovation across multiple sectors, with healthcare at the forefront. In a recent study by Ernst & Young, a majority (53%) of health and service (HHS) organizations from the United Arab Emirates indicated that they plan to further invest in digital solutions over the next three years. Alongside this growth, local government plans from the United Arab Emirates to Saudi Arabia, are supporting the transition towards digital transformation, with mandates including UAE Health 2071 and Saudi Vision 2030.

The role we wish to play in this region is in continued investment, expanding our team and most importantly, supporting our dentists and making sure that Align Technology is a close partner of the dental practice. Align Technology will continue to evolve its offering to the region, in line with the pace of innovation in the region, so that we can remain at the forefront of dental technology and digital dentistry and that we can help dentists in future-proofing their practices.