Global medical device company Align Technology on May 3 announced the launch of direct operations in South Africa, to bolster its local footprint in the country and raise awareness and adoption of its trademarked clear aligner system, the Invisalign System.

The company reached its target milestone of 15-million treatments with this technology on March 31.

Moreover, this launch is also expected to enable the company to provide local clinical and commercial support, education and dedicated clinical events to orthodontists and dentists in South Africa.

Align Technologies designs, manufactures and sells the trademarked Invisalign system of clear aligners, iTero intraoral scanners, and exocad computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing software for digital orthodontics and restorative dentistry.

Establishing direct operations in South Africa is the latest step in Align’s international expansion.

Speaking at the launch in Johannesburg, Align Technology Europe, Middle East and Africa senior VP Markus Sebastian said the launch was aimed at further empowering Invisalign-trained orthodontists and dentists by growing awareness about the considerable benefits of treatment with clear aligners.

Align’s goal in the region is to increase the adoption of clear aligner therapy as a treatment option.

This investment is said to strengthen Align’s position as a strategic partner to its doctor customers in the region, by sharing orthodontic treatment possibilities.

Sebastian highlighted the strategic importance of training and centring doctors for Align.

In this vein, the company will have a concerted focus on educating South African doctors and patients, to help doctors achieve optimum patient results while aiming to ensure safety of clinical outcomes, and on promoting the standards and benefits of doctor-led therapy, with doctors playing a crucial part in treatment supervision, and safeguarding patient safety.

“We see enormous potential in South Africa, with a growing demand for Invisalign clear aligners. As consumer demand grows, we aim to make Invisalign treatment accessible to more doctors and help transform smiles for more of their patients.

“We’re focused on supporting practices in their growth through digitisation with clear aligner therapy, intraoral scanners and digital workflows. This exciting milestone strengthens our position as a strategic partner to our doctor customers in the region and will cater to the increasing consumer demands for healthier and beautiful smiles,” Sebastian commented.

Align Technology Africa VP Alex Canfor-Dumas expanded on the potential the company saw in South Africa and the rest of the continent.

He pointed out that research had shown that the South African dental market comprised about 60-million people, with about 1.8-million potential consumers for ortho treatments with medical aid.

Moreover, research indicates that this is mostly a general practitioner (GP) or dentist market, with a small number of trained orthodontists.

The clear aligner treatment lies mostly with orthodontists, at 65%, compared with GPs, at 35%.

“The launch of direct operations in South Africa underlines our ongoing commitment to the African market and recognises the local needs of our doctor customers and our desire to support their efforts to provide the best possible outcomes for their patients.

“I am confident this investment will allow us to build a stronger local presence and further expand the Align business footprint in the Africa region. While South Africa represents healthy growth potential, we expect a gradual increase in case volume as we build our business over the next several years,” Canfor-Dumas said.

He also noted that the company was exploring the potential of bringing manufacturing operations closer to South Africa in the long term, with a continental location, to ensure even faster turnaround times of its aligners. Manufacturing operations are currently housed in Mexico and China and the recent opening of its Poland facility.

In the interim the company is also looking at bolstering its current turnaround time of seven to nine days for delivery of its aligners to South Africa.