• Season 1 will feature insightful stories from a selection of Invisalign trained orthodontists from across the GCC, including KSA, Kuwait, and Qatar
  • Hosted by Chris Barrow, Episode 1 of the debut season was released on 3rd April on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music, and Google podcasts, with new episodes released every month until July 2023.

Dubai, UAE - Align Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALGN), a leading global medical device company that designs, manufactures, and sells the Invisalign® System of clear aligners, iTero™ intraoral scanners, and exocad™ CAD/CAM software for digital orthodontics and restorative dentistry, has announced plans to launch The Practice, a podcast series that will delve into the day-to-day lives of orthodontists from across the GCC.

Marking the first-ever podcast launched by Align Technology in the Middle East, The Practice will provide a platform for industry professionals to share their stories from the frontline of orthodontics. In each episode, orthodontists from across the region will share anecdotes from their working lives, and provide listeners with practical insights based on the lessons they have learned during their careers.

The Practice will be hosted by industry expert Chris Barrow, who has worked as a trainer, consultant, coach, and mentor to dentists and orthodontists for more than two decades. In addition to providing insights for practitioners to hear how their peers in orthodontics and dentistry are overcoming some of the challenges of modern dentistry and turning them into opportunities, the podcast will enable listeners from all walks of life to learn more about this rapidly evolving sector.

Commenting ahead of the launch, Barrow said: “I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing a number of orthodontic professionals from across the region in my role as host of The Practice, and I must say, the anecdotes and insights they’ve provided have been fascinating. Not only will this podcast offer actionable advice for regional dental professionals, but it will also include a range of practical know-how that can be applied in other sectors.”

The Practice has been developed to facilitate knowledge-sharing within the orthodontic profession and to deliver a better understanding of the personal journeys of those in the sector. Listeners can expect to hear contemporary trends and developments being placed under the microscope as guest speakers discuss how they have embraced positive change and adapted their methodologies to better serve their patients. Guests will be encouraged to share their real-world experiences, demonstrating what it takes to create a modern, patient-centric dental practice in the Middle East.

Angelo Maura, General Manager of Align Technology in the Middle East, said: “When it comes to driving industry advancements in human-focused sectors such as healthcare, knowledge-sharing is essential. Through The Practice, our goal is to provide the dental community in the Middle East with insight into what it takes to build a technology-driven, future-facing, patient-centric practice through the eyes of five GCC-based doctors with amazing stories to share.”

Maura added, “With Chris Barrow as our host, listeners will have access to a wealth of industry knowledge, as well as someone who knows the right questions to ask. “As the first-ever podcast to be launched by Align Technology in the region, this is an important achievement and milestone for our Middle East team, as we continue to explore new ways to engage with and support the community of orthodontists and dental practitioners in the region. We are excited about our starting line-up of guest speakers.”

Align Technology designs and manufactures the Invisalign System, the world's most advanced clear aligner system. The company also utilises enhanced digital orthodontic and restorative workflows to improve patient satisfaction and efficiency across the sector. This unique system has helped treat more than 14.5 million patients from around the globe.

Podcasts are a popular and trusted medium across the Middle East and North Africa (“MENA”) region – especially in the UAE, where 16% of the population listens to at least one podcast every week. The launch of The Practice will enable Align Technology to introduce listeners and industry experts to critical sector-based issues through an accessible medium tailored to their needs.

“Align Technology is committed to driving the digital evolution of the dental sector, and we believe this podcast will prove informative, educational, and entertaining for a wide audience,” Angelo Maura concluded.

Episode 1 of The Practice features insights from Dr. Reem Alansari, board member of the Saudi Orthodontic Society (“SOS”) and a full-time consultant & Associate Professor of Orthodontics at King Abdulaziz University, in Saudi Arabia, who also runs her own private practice. Her episode is now available to download on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music, and Google podcasts. New episodes will be released each month until July 2023.

To subscribe to the podcast, visit https://align.digitalplatform.me/the-practice-podcast-season-1

Series 1 of The Practice will include five episodes, with stories told through the eyes of five renowned GCC orthodontists. They include:

  • Episode 1: Dr. Reem Alansari, board member of the Saudi Orthodontic Society (SOS), and a full-time consultant & Associate Professor of Orthodontics, at King Abdulaziz University, in Saudi Arabia, who also runs her own private practice.
  • Episode 2: Dr. Suliman Shahin, Vice Dean for Studies, Development & Community Service, at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University’s College of Dentistry, and Saudi Orthodontic Society (SOS) Board Member. He is also the first Middle East Invisalign speaker and runs his own private practice.
  • Episode 3: Dr. Mubarak Alsaeed, certified Invisalign speaker in the Middle East.
  • Episode 4: Dr. Nasser Alqahtani, consultant orthodontist at Sigal Dental Clinic, Professor of Orthodontics at King Saud University, Riyadh, and on the American Board of Orthodontics.
  • Episode 5: Dr. Akshay Bantwal, orthodontist and certified Invisalign specialist, Rayhan Medical Orthodontic Clinic, Doha. 

About Align Technology, Inc. 

Align Technology designs and manufactures the Invisalign® system, the most advanced clear aligner system in the world, iTero™ intraoral scanners and services, and exocad™ CAD/CAM software. These technology building blocks enable enhanced digital orthodontic and restorative workflows to improve patient outcomes and practice efficiencies for over 239 thousand doctor customers and are key to accessing Align’s 500 million consumer market opportunity worldwide. Over the past 25 years, Align has helped doctors treat over 14.5 million patients with the Invisalign system and is driving the evolution in digital dentistry through the Align Digital Platform™, our integrated suite of unique, proprietary technologies and services delivered as a seamless, end-to-end solution for patients and consumers, orthodontists and GP dentists, and lab/partners. 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 the iTero digital scanning system, please visit www.itero.com. For additional information about exocad dental CAD/CAM offerings and a list of exocad reseller partners, please visit www.exocad.com. 

Invisalign, iTero, exocad, Align, Align Digital Platform, iTero Element and iTero-exocad Connector are trademarks of Align Technology, Inc. 

Media Contact:
Vrushti Shah, The Alto Agency
Vrushti@thealtoagency.com

Nathalie Hogg, The Alto Agency
Nathalie@thealtoagency.com