Invisalign Proficiency Requirements

Proficiency Program – Frequently asked questions

Why is Align dropping the annual case requirement from the proficiency program?
Is Align dropping the case requirements because doctors weren’t meeting the requirements? Were case submissions dropping off?
Is the change the result of pressure from industry organizations?
Why are doctors still required to complete 10 Invisalign CE hours per year?
What happens if doctors don’t complete the annual CE requirement?
Align started this program because it wanted to ensure patients could get great treatment experiences and results. What changed? Are you no longer concerned about patient outcomes?
If hands-on learning through regular case use is important to successful outcomes with Invisalign, how will Align encourage doctors to do cases on a regular basis without the annual case requirement?
I really pushed hard to meet the proficiency requirements this year and I made it – why is Align giving other doctors a way out now? The requirements were supposed to be strictly enforced.
My sales rep assured me that Align would not change the proficiency requirements. Why should I trust that Align is going to stick to anything they tell me?
What does Preferred Provider status mean now that the proficiency requirements are gone?
How will doctors qualify for Preferred Provider status going forward?
I was moved to limited or deactivated status for not meeting the proficiency requirements. How does this change affect me?
I completed initial Invisalign training in 2010 – do I have to meet the 10 CE hour requirement this year?
I reactivated my account in 2010 by completing an Invisalign training course – do I have to meet the 10 CE hour requirement this year?
Is Align going to put all Invisalign providers in Find a Doctor search results now?
What will the new rewards program look like?

Why is Align dropping the annual case requirement from the proficiency program?

We are responding to our customers’ frustration and unhappiness with the proficiency program. Many customers were upset by the proficiency program, particularly the annual case requirement. The volume of complaint letters has tapered off, but the mood and frustration of our customers has not improved.

In addition, numerous state and national dental organizations and their members oppose the case requirements. These are groups with whom we’ve always had good working relationships, and we don’t want to damage those relationships over this issue.

Many organizations, including the AAO and ADA, have recommended that Align focus on continuing education, rather than case requirements, as a means of encouraging product proficiency. We believe that these organizations will fully support this change regarding the annual case requirement.

2. Is Align dropping the case requirements because doctors weren’t meeting the requirements? Were case submissions dropping off?

Align is making this change is response to significant customer frustration and concerns regarding the annual case requirements. We’ve been pleased with our financial results over the last few quarters, and have seen positive impact and success among lower volume doctors who became more engaged with Invisalign over the last few months.

Is the change the result of pressure from industry organizations?

Numerous state and national dental organizations oppose the case requirement – these are groups with whom we’ve always had good working relationships. Industry organizations’ opposition to the proficiency program was far more intense than we anticipated. Many organizations, including the AAO and ADA, have recommended that Align focus on continuing education, rather than case requirements, as a means of encouraging product proficiency.

We believe that these organizations will fully support this change regarding the annual case requirement.

Why are doctors still required to complete 10 Invisalign CE hours per year?

Invisalign is an evolving product and technique, and ongoing training and education are necessary to stay up to date with ongoing product and clinical advancements.

Many organizations, including the AAO and ADA, have recommended that Align focus on continuing education curriculum, rather than case requirements, as a means of encouraging product proficiency.

Completing 10 Invisalign CE hours per year is pretty easy to do. Align has a robust clinical education curriculum with more than 200 hours of lecture-based and online learning opportunities each year, with all online content available 24/7 and at no cost to customers.

What happens if doctors don’t complete the annual CE requirement?

Doctors who do not reach 10 Invisalign CE hours or more in a calendar year will have their Invisalign account temporarily suspended until they complete the minimum 10 CE hours. They will still have full access to in-progress cases, but won’t be able to submit new cases.

Completing 10 Invisalign CE hours per year is easy. Align has a robust clinical education curriculum with more than 200 hours of lecture-based and online learning opportunities each year, with all online content available 24/7 and at no cost to customers.

Align started this program because it wanted to ensure patients could get great treatment experiences and results. What changed? Are you no longer concerned about patient outcomes?

Align remains committed to the original objectives of the proficiency program, and is working to achieve them in ways that address our customers’ needs, such as:

Annual 10 Invisalign CE hour requirement to ensure up-to-date product and clinical training for all doctors;
Continued product innovation and improvement to deliver great product performance and predictability;
Directing consumers to Invisalign Preferred Providers;
Recommending Invisalign Assist for doctors who are building their Invisalign experience;
Loyalty programs that build on Preferred Provider status to reward doctors who strive for expertise with Invisalign.

If hands-on learning through regular case use is important to successful outcomes with Invisalign, how will Align encourage doctors to do cases on a regular basis without the annual case requirement?

We believe we can encourage doctors to build their experience and expertise with Invisalign through:

Continued product innovation and improvements that deliver the results doctors expect from Invisalign treatment;
Loyalty programs that build on Preferred Provider status to reward doctors who strive for expertise with Invisalign.

I really pushed hard to meet the proficiency requirements this year and I made it – why is Align giving other doctors a way out now? The requirements were supposed to be strictly enforced.

Align wants to listen and be responsive to the needs of all of its customers. When a large number of our customers are unhappy with our actions, we need to fix the problem. In this case, we have an opportunity to stay true to the objectives of the proficiency program and help doctors and patients get great results – in ways that address customer needs and concerns.

My sales rep assured me that Align would not change the proficiency requirements. Why should I trust that Align is going to stick to anything they tell me?

We take our customers’ input very seriously, and often make program or policy changes based on their input. We started the proficiency program with the best intentions, and believed we were doing something that most doctors would understand and support. But many of Align’s customers were upset by the proficiency requirements, and our relationships with them have suffered as a result. It would be irresponsible and uncaring of us to ignore this issue – sometimes we have to change in response to what our customers need.

What does Preferred Provider status mean now that the proficiency requirements are gone?

Align will continue to support and promote Preferred Provider. We believe that Preferred Provider status offers valuable benefits to our customers, including:

Access to millions of consumers through inclusion on Invisalign.com’s Find a Doctor search tool;
Preferred Provider-branded marketing resources for your practice;
A multi-million dollar consumer advertising campaign that drives prospective patients to “see a Preferred Provider;”
Industry-leading sales and clinical support teams, with a dedicated customer care hotline;
A new customer loyalty and rewards program coming in 2011 that will combine Preferred Provider status and Invisalign Advantage program benefits with a new range of rewards.

How will doctors qualify for Preferred Provider status going forward?

Doctors can reach Preferred Provider status by meeting the annual Invisalign CE requirement, and by starting 10 or more Invisalign cases in a calendar year. While this is not a mandatory requirement, we hope customers will take advantage of the valuable benefits Preferred Provider status offers.

When doctors meet the threshold for Preferred Provider status, they will receive their package of practice marketing resources and preferential placement in Find a Doctor search results – with more benefits to come when we launch our new customer loyalty program in 2011.

I was moved to limited or deactivated status for not meeting the proficiency requirements. How does this change affect me?

The reactivation policy for any doctors who were changed to limited or deactivated account status remains the same: doctors are always welcome to reactivate their accounts and become an active customer again by complete an Invisalign initial training course. Details are available at www.aligntechinstitute.com/training.

I completed initial Invisalign training in 2010 – do I have to meet the 10 CE hour requirement this year?

The annual CE requirement is pro-rated for the year in which you complete training. Doctors who completed an initial Invisalign training course (Clear Essentials I or Clear Principles) in 2010, either as a first-time customer or to reactivate their customer account, have satisfied the annual CE requirement by completing the training course.

I reactivated my account in 2010 by completing an Invisalign training course – do I have to meet the 10 CE hour requirement this year?

Is Align going to put all Invisalign providers in Find a Doctor search results now?

Align will continue to use the Find a Doctor search feature to help direct consumers to the most experienced Invisalign providers. Only doctors who achieve Preferred Provider status or Elite, Premier, or Advantage program levels will be included in Find a Doctor search results.

What will the new rewards program look like?

The new loyalty program will integrate Preferred Provider status and benefits with Align’s existing Advantage program. Details will be available to doctors in Q3, with an anticipated program launch in January 2011.


		PROSPECTIVE DOCTORS Become an Invisalign Provider EXISTING DOCTORS Recommended CE Resources Proficiency Status WORKING WITH ALIGN Product Innovations Aligntech Institute Proficiency FAQs Advantage Program Practice Development Contact Us Proficiency Program – Frequently asked questions Why is Align dropping the annual case requirement from the proficiency program? Is Align dropping the case requirements because doctors weren’t meeting the requirements? Were case submissions dropping off? Is the change the result of pressure from industry organizations? Why are doctors still required to complete 10 Invisalign CE hours per year? What happens if doctors don’t complete the annual CE requirement? Align started this program because it wanted to ensure patients could get great treatment experiences and results. What changed? Are you no longer concerned about patient outcomes? If hands-on learning through regular case use is important to successful outcomes with Invisalign, how will Align encourage doctors to do cases on a regular basis without the annual case requirement? I really pushed hard to meet the proficiency requirements this year and I made it – why is Align giving other doctors a way out now? The requirements were supposed to be strictly enforced. My sales rep assured me that Align would not change the proficiency requirements. Why should I trust that Align is going to stick to anything they tell me? What does Preferred Provider status mean now that the proficiency requirements are gone? How will doctors qualify for Preferred Provider status going forward? I was moved to limited or deactivated status for not meeting the proficiency requirements. How does this change affect me? I completed initial Invisalign training in 2010 – do I have to meet the 10 CE hour requirement this year? I reactivated my account in 2010 by completing an Invisalign training course – do I have to meet the 10 CE hour requirement this year? Is Align going to put all Invisalign providers in Find a Doctor search results now? What will the new rewards program look like? Why is Align dropping the annual case requirement from the proficiency program? We are responding to our customers’ frustration and unhappiness with the proficiency program. Many customers were upset by the proficiency program, particularly the annual case requirement. The volume of complaint letters has tapered off, but the mood and frustration of our customers has not improved. In addition, numerous state and national dental organizations and their members oppose the case requirements. These are groups with whom we’ve always had good working relationships, and we don’t want to damage those relationships over this issue. Many organizations, including the AAO and ADA, have recommended that Align focus on continuing education, rather than case requirements, as a means of encouraging product proficiency. We believe that these organizations will fully support this change regarding the annual case requirement. 2. Is Align dropping the case requirements because doctors weren’t meeting the requirements? Were case submissions dropping off? Align is making this change is response to significant customer frustration and concerns regarding the annual case requirements. We’ve been pleased with our financial results over the last few quarters, and have seen positive impact and success among lower volume doctors who became more engaged with Invisalign over the last few months. Is the change the result of pressure from industry organizations? Numerous state and national dental organizations oppose the case requirement – these are groups with whom we’ve always had good working relationships. Industry organizations’ opposition to the proficiency program was far more intense than we anticipated. Many organizations, including the AAO and ADA, have recommended that Align focus on continuing education, rather than case requirements, as a means of encouraging product proficiency. We believe that these organizations will fully support this change regarding the annual case requirement. Why are doctors still required to complete 10 Invisalign CE hours per year? Invisalign is an evolving product and technique, and ongoing training and education are necessary to stay up to date with ongoing product and clinical advancements. Many organizations, including the AAO and ADA, have recommended that Align focus on continuing education curriculum, rather than case requirements, as a means of encouraging product proficiency. Completing 10 Invisalign CE hours per year is pretty easy to do. Align has a robust clinical education curriculum with more than 200 hours of lecture-based and online learning opportunities each year, with all online content available 24/7 and at no cost to customers. What happens if doctors don’t complete the annual CE requirement? Doctors who do not reach 10 Invisalign CE hours or more in a calendar year will have their Invisalign account temporarily suspended until they complete the minimum 10 CE hours. They will still have full access to in-progress cases, but won’t be able to submit new cases. Completing 10 Invisalign CE hours per year is easy. Align has a robust clinical education curriculum with more than 200 hours of lecture-based and online learning opportunities each year, with all online content available 24/7 and at no cost to customers. Align started this program because it wanted to ensure patients could get great treatment experiences and results. What changed? Are you no longer concerned about patient outcomes? Align remains committed to the original objectives of the proficiency program, and is working to achieve them in ways that address our customers’ needs, such as: Annual 10 Invisalign CE hour requirement to ensure up-to-date product and clinical training for all doctors; Continued product innovation and improvement to deliver great product performance and predictability; Directing consumers to Invisalign Preferred Providers; Recommending Invisalign Assist for doctors who are building their Invisalign experience; Loyalty programs that build on Preferred Provider status to reward doctors who strive for expertise with Invisalign. If hands-on learning through regular case use is important to successful outcomes with Invisalign, how will Align encourage doctors to do cases on a regular basis without the annual case requirement? We believe we can encourage doctors to build their experience and expertise with Invisalign through: Continued product innovation and improvements that deliver the results doctors expect from Invisalign treatment; Loyalty programs that build on Preferred Provider status to reward doctors who strive for expertise with Invisalign. I really pushed hard to meet the proficiency requirements this year and I made it – why is Align giving other doctors a way out now? The requirements were supposed to be strictly enforced. Align wants to listen and be responsive to the needs of all of its customers. When a large number of our customers are unhappy with our actions, we need to fix the problem. In this case, we have an opportunity to stay true to the objectives of the proficiency program and help doctors and patients get great results – in ways that address customer needs and concerns. My sales rep assured me that Align would not change the proficiency requirements. Why should I trust that Align is going to stick to anything they tell me? We take our customers’ input very seriously, and often make program or policy changes based on their input. We started the proficiency program with the best intentions, and believed we were doing something that most doctors would understand and support. But many of Align’s customers were upset by the proficiency requirements, and our relationships with them have suffered as a result. It would be irresponsible and uncaring of us to ignore this issue – sometimes we have to change in response to what our customers need. What does Preferred Provider status mean now that the proficiency requirements are gone? Align will continue to support and promote Preferred Provider. We believe that Preferred Provider status offers valuable benefits to our customers, including: Access to millions of consumers through inclusion on Invisalign.com’s Find a Doctor search tool; Preferred Provider-branded marketing resources for your practice; A multi-million dollar consumer advertising campaign that drives prospective patients to “see a Preferred Provider;” Industry-leading sales and clinical support teams, with a dedicated customer care hotline; A new customer loyalty and rewards program coming in 2011 that will combine Preferred Provider status and Invisalign Advantage program benefits with a new range of rewards. How will doctors qualify for Preferred Provider status going forward? Doctors can reach Preferred Provider status by meeting the annual Invisalign CE requirement, and by starting 10 or more Invisalign cases in a calendar year. While this is not a mandatory requirement, we hope customers will take advantage of the valuable benefits Preferred Provider status offers. When doctors meet the threshold for Preferred Provider status, they will receive their package of practice marketing resources and preferential placement in Find a Doctor search results – with more benefits to come when we launch our new customer loyalty program in 2011. I was moved to limited or deactivated status for not meeting the proficiency requirements. How does this change affect me? The reactivation policy for any doctors who were changed to limited or deactivated account status remains the same: doctors are always welcome to reactivate their accounts and become an active customer again by complete an Invisalign initial training course. Details are available at www.aligntechinstitute.com/training. I completed initial Invisalign training in 2010 – do I have to meet the 10 CE hour requirement this year? The annual CE requirement is pro-rated for the year in which you complete training. Doctors who completed an initial Invisalign training course (Clear Essentials I or Clear Principles) in 2010, either as a first-time customer or to reactivate their customer account, have satisfied the annual CE requirement by completing the training course. I reactivated my account in 2010 by completing an Invisalign training course – do I have to meet the 10 CE hour requirement this year? The annual CE requirement is pro-rated for the year in which you complete training. Doctors who completed an initial Invisalign training course (Clear Essentials I or Clear Principles) in 2010, either as a first-time customer or to reactivate their customer account, have satisfied the annual CE requirement by completing the training course. Is Align going to put all Invisalign providers in Find a Doctor search results now? Align will continue to use the Find a Doctor search feature to help direct consumers to the most experienced Invisalign providers. Only doctors who achieve Preferred Provider status or Elite, Premier, or Advantage program levels will be included in Find a Doctor search results. What will the new rewards program look like? The new loyalty program will integrate Preferred Provider status and benefits with Align’s existing Advantage program. Details will be available to doctors in Q3, with an anticipated program launch in January 2011.