Align Technology has announced a new $1 million, 5-year commitment to the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) Foundation to support orthodontic education, faculty development, and research. The pledge follows a previous $1 million commitment made by the company in 2021.
The funding will help support the AAO Foundation’s mission, including its Full-time Faculty Fellowship Campaign, which aims to strengthen the pipeline of orthodontic educators at dental schools in the United States and Canada.
"The future of orthodontics depends on the people who teach it," said Brett Schott, vice president and executive director, AAO Foundation. "Full-time faculty train our residents, lead the research that moves patient care forward, and mentor the leaders our specialty will rely on for decades. Align's ongoing commitment helps us invest in those educators when the need is real. We are grateful for a partnership that continues to advance the specialty of orthodontics."
Launched in 2024, the Full-time Faculty Fellowship Campaign is a 3-year initiative designed to endow three 2-year fellowships for full-time orthodontic faculty members. The program seeks to address the need for qualified educators and researchers who provide clinical instruction, mentorship, and scientific leadership within orthodontic residency programs.
Since 1994, the AAO Foundation Awards Program has provided $17.7 million in funding, supporting 297 fellowship awards and 404 research grants. Align Technology is a Platinum Corporate Partner of the foundation.
"Most orthodontists can name a faculty member who helped shape them as the clinician they are now. Those educators give so much to this profession, and the AAO Foundation has done remarkable work making sure that impactful legacy continues," said Frank Quinn, executive vice president and managing director, Americas, Align Technology. "We are honored to help advance the future of orthodontics and the doctors who will be part of it. Supporting this fellowship campaign and the AAO Foundation overall is our way of saying thank you to the faculty who train, mentor and inspire every orthodontist."
Quinn also serves on the AAO Foundation Board of Directors.
The latest commitment is part of Align Technology's broader support for orthodontic education, professional development, and research, with an emphasis on preparing future generations of orthodontic clinicians and educators.
