Align return to BDIA Dental Showcase 2026

Forward-thinking practitioners are increasingly embracing innovative digital technologies to help drive practice growth through greater patient engagement and increased treatment acceptance. These advancements not only support clinical excellence but also contribute to sustainable practice success. At the heart of this digital transformation are major
technological breakthroughs: advanced digital imaging, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), that aids diagnosis of radiographic pathologiesi, and next-generation treatment planning software that support a more holistic approach to dental and orthodontic care.

Digital tools not only support clinicians in diagnosis and treatment planning - they also create a more collaborative environment between patients and practitioners. By providing clear, visual overviews of oral health, such as virtual 3D models and colour-coded digital images, these technologies make complex information easier for patients to understand. This approach helps build stronger emotional connections, better patient education and increases the likelihood that patients will accept recommended treatmentsii. A systematic reviewiii of adult dental patients found that traditional informed-consent processes can vary widely, while many patients believe they understand the information provided, actual comprehension and recall can be as low as 20%. “Although patients in general report that they understand information given to them, they may have limited comprehension. Patients may feel informed but objectively are not, which raises risk of misunderstanding, dissatisfaction or rejection,” the review authors concluded.

The iTero™ intraoral scanner from Align Technology and the newly enhanced Align™ Oral Health Suite are essential tools for every digital patient journey, supporting both
patient understanding and engagement. The Align Oral Health Suite is an all-in-one chairside consultation platform that enables clinicians to present a comprehensive, patient friendly view of oral health. Through dynamic visualisations and assessment tools, patients can see possible oral health conditions in real time, discuss potential root causes with their doctor, and become more informed about their treatment options. This interactive approach fosters deeper understanding and trust, empowering patients to actively participate in their oral health decisions. Dental hygienist and therapist Cat Edney and Dr. Raj Juneja are both strong advocates for digital technology in dentistry, and both emphasize that these solutions should form the foundation of all dental consultations and treatment protocols – from routine check-ups to complex orthodontic and restorative procedures.

How digital scans encourage communication

The iTero scanner accurately creates a detailed 3D image of a patient’s teeth and gums and then uses a series of advanced tools to help clinicians assess tooth and gum health. The iTero™ Occlusogram allows the clinician to examine a patient's bite and helps to spot areas that may be prone to wear or fractures. iTero NIRI technology (Near Infra-Red Imaging) provides a clear view of the structure of the teeth, highlighting early formation of incidental inter-proximal caries. In fact, studies show that the iTero NIRI technology of the. The majority of surveyed Invisalign trained doctors and their staff agree that the iTero Lumina™ intraoral scanner’s superior 3D model boots patient engagement and helps to remove adoption and utilisation barriersiv.

Cat Edney, who is speaking about her use of these technologies at BDIA Dental Showcase, describes how a digital scan engages patients and immediately makes them more willing and interested in fixing their teeth. “I can scan each tooth individually, explaining what I can see but also positioning the scanner screen so the patient can see it too. Being able to show a patient a visual of their mouth in high definition while they have their consultation, opens a whole world of opportunities for communication. It allows us to clearly explain clinical findings, helping patients gain a true understanding of their oral health.”

Cat Edney also underlines the value of the iTero™ TimeLapse technology tool, which allows clinicians to show patients changes in oral health between appointments. “It’s an effective way of understanding if wear has progressed, if erosion is getting worse or if inflammation has improved. It can also help address patient concerns about tooth movements or other changes,” she says, adding: “To really get the full benefit of having an iTero scanner, the entire practice team needs to understand how to use it. Otherwise, the technology may be limited to Invisalign® treatment or restorative cases, and many patients may miss out on the full digital experience. Regular scanning not only shows patients that their oral health is a priority, it also increases their engagement – even among those patients who may have previously been less motivated.”

Creating emotional connections
The Align™ Oral Health Suite offers a comprehensive set of assessment and visualisation tools that support diagnosis of oral health conditions, alignment and bite. These tools help clinicians present a patient-friendly view of oral health and treatment needs during consultations, facilitating chairside conversations, patient education, and building trust. Of note, 78% of surveyed doctors reported increased orthodontic treatment acceptance when using the Align™ Oral Health Suitev, while 92% agreed it contributed to practice revenue growthvi.

Recent updates to the Align Oral Health Suite include an upgraded patient gallery, that brings together multi-modal patient records in one place. Clinicians can now access HD intraoral and NIRI (Near Infrared Imaging) images, photorealistic 3D models, wide smile photos, in-face visualisations, annotated records, streamlining the review and
communication of patient information.

Dr. Raj Juneja describes the Align™ Oral Health Suite as a powerful conversation starter: “It opens up awareness; patients come in for general dentistry and they can see their own crowding, plaque or fillings and start asking questions. It helps create moments of realisation and supports informed decision-making during general dentistry discussions.”
Bridging the gap between clinical planning and emotional connection is another leading edge software upgrade to the iTero™ intraoral scanner. Newly launched Invisalign®
Outcome Simulator Pro with Smile Video is a powerful digital tool enabling clinicians to show patients a potential realistic preview of their enhanced smile following orthodontic or restorative treatment.

Unlike traditional static smile simulations, Invisalign® Outcome Simulator Pro with Smile Video uses Augmented Reality (AR) to integrate wide-smile photographs and videos taken in the Invisalign® Practice App with the iTero digital scans. This created natural, in-face simulations of potential orthodontic and ortho-restorative outcomes, helping patients visualise and understand their treatment options more clearly.

Clinicians can also apply personalised preferences, and guide patients through their smile transformation by presenting multiple treatment simulations. This approach enables patients to clearly visualise and understand their potential options. In fact, case acceptance rates for Invisalign treatment double when patients view their proposed results using Invisalign Outcome Simulator Pro with Smile Video. Compared to those who only see a static 3D modelvii.

Dr. Juneja observes “You can actually see when a patient leans forward; they’re captivated. Then we share the video easily via a QR code, and they show their friends and family. We’ve seen a definite uplift in case acceptance because of Invisalign Outcome Simulator Pro with Smile Video.”

Align Technology will spotlight the iTero digital intraoral scanner, the Align Oral Health Suite and their associated digital tools on Stand A15 at the coming BDIA Dental Showcase, taking place 13-14 March 2026 at ExCel, London. Go to Welcome | BDIA Dental Showcase for more information.

Press contacts: For Align Technology: Abigail Lander, Director, Corporate Communications, Canada & UKI alander@aligntech.com
For Positive Communications: Tracy Posner, tracyposner@positivecomm.com.

i Mertens S, Krois J, Cantu AG, et al. Artificial intelligence for caries detection: Randomized trial. J Dent. 2021;115:103849. ii 90% of surveyed doctors agree they increased patient treatment acceptance utilizing Align™ Oral Health Suite. Based on a global survey in October 2023 of n=41 Invisalign trained doctor respondents who utilized Align Oral Health Suite 20 times or more during the global limited market release period of August 2023 to October 2023, representing both GPs (n=27) and Orthos (n=14) in NA, APAC, EMEA, and LATAM. Doctors were asked: “Please indicate your agreement with the following statement: I increased patient treatment acceptance utilizing Align Oral Health Suite (treatment acceptance includes hygiene treatment, restorative procedures, and orthodontic cases).” Agreement scale is 1-4 with 1 being “strongly disagree” and 4 being “strongly agree.” Data on File at Align Technology, as of November 17, 2023. iii Informed consent comprehension and recollection in adult dental patients: A systematic review - PubMed iv Based on a survey in September 2023 of n=22 users who participated in a global limited market release, working with iTero LuminaTM intraoral scanner for an average period of 6 months, representing both Invisalign® trained general practitioners and orthodontists, and their staff in NA, EMEA and APAC, who were presented with a 4 point level of agreement scale from strongly agree to strongly disagree with the following statements: “The iTero LuminaTM intraoral scanner's superior 3D model boosts patient engagement.” and “The iTero LuminaTM intraoral scanner scanning experience helps remove adoption and utilization barriers.” v Based on a global survey in October 2023 of n=41 Invisalign trained doctor respondents who utilized Align Oral Health Suite 20 times or more during the global limited market release period of August 2023 to October 2023, representing both GPs (n=27) and Orthos (n=14) in NA, APAC, EMEA, and LATAM. Doctors were asked: “Please indicate your agreement with the following statement: I increased orthodontic treatment acceptance utilizing Align Oral Health Suite (vs. previous workflow and tools).” Agreement scale is 1-4 with 1 being “strongly disagree” and 4 being “strongly agree.” Data on File at Align Technology, as of November 17, 2023. vi Based on a global survey in October 2023 of Invisalign trained GPs (n=27) from NA, APAC, and EMEA who used the Align Oral Health Suite 20 times or more during the global limited market release period of August 2023 to October 2023. Doctors were asked: “Please indicate your agreement with the following statement: I increased practice revenue utilizing Align Oral Health Suite into my patient consultations.” Agreement scale is 1-4 with 1 being “strongly disagree” and 4 being “strongly agree.” Data on File at Align Technology, as of November 17, 2023. vii Based on over 115,000 Invisalign Outcome Simulator Pro simulations globally. Invisalign Outcome Simulator Pro is only available on the iTero Element Plus Series. Data on File at Align Technology, as of June 20, 2023.