Ortho2

Ortho2 began as a collaboration between Dan Sargent, an emerging technology connoisseur and entrepreneur, and Dr. William Iversen, a well-established orthodontist. In 1980, Mr. Sargent was starting his career as a recent computer science graduate, and Dr. Iversen was looking for a way to computerize his orthodontic practice. This was before personal computers supported large storage drives. As a result, they naturally came together as partners to develop the program for a Wang mini-computer. In 1982, Ortho2 was formed (then called Ortho Computer Systems), and they proceeded to rewrite the program for both the Apple® and IBM® XT computers. Soon after, in 1985, they incorporated and added several additional orthodontists to the board of directors. The initial system, OneTouch, was a DOS-based system. In 1998, they revealed ViewPoint, a Microsoft® Windows®-based system. Now they have done it again this past year with another all-new, innovative, and cutting-edge practice management system called Edge™—a Cloud or web-based system. For all these years, the Ortho2 mission statement has been simply “To help our orthodontic partners succeed.”

The present

Today, Ortho2 is based in Ames, Iowa, with 60 employees and more than 1,600 orthodontists who use Ortho2 systems. The foundation for this is the software itself, but with nearly 30 years of experience, the “Ortho2 Experience” involves many innovative areas. The data conversion group, in conjunction with the New Customer Care team, ensures that each new Ortho2 client is fully capable and comfortable with their new system. A Network Consultation certifies that the equipment configuration is optimal. The support group carefully monitors support metrics to staff appropriately for on-going support quality and responsiveness. They also make a personal call each year to every client to ask how they are doing and conduct an annual customer satisfaction survey. Ortho2 strives for a positive customer experience every time. According to Howard Choi’s thesis, which measured customer satisfaction among the leading orthodontic practice management providers, our clients think we achieve that goal. We received top marks for training support, technical support, and ease of learning. Ortho2 is the largest independently owned orthodontic management company, and thus their focus is 100% on their orthodontic clients.

The Edge™ revolution

Ortho2’s all-new system, Edge™, is a web-based system, meaning that the data resides outside the practice, in what is sometimes referred to as “the cloud.” Unlike the wider cloud, where you don’t know where your data is located, or who is responsible for maintaining it, Edge™ uses a private cloud or datacenter, located in a carefully selected, secure, professional facility. Edge™ can also be configured to run in a local area network, if a customer prefers. Edge™ is a multi-tiered application so it is easily scalable and can be set up for multiple and very large offices. It was developed from the ground up by a team of programmers, orthodontists, and consultants to make sure that it included a feature set that would please even the most advanced user.

Cloud computing is considered the wave of the future, for many reasons. Edge™ doesn’t require an expensive server. And running in the cloud provides universal access to your data, without syncing, from multiple office locations over the Internet, or from home, or via a smartphone or tablet using the cellular system. Because the data is professionally managed off-site, the user isn’t reliant on in-house and potentially fallible backup protocols. Many orthodontists express frustration at having to become IT experts in their practices, and with Edge™ most of the complexity disappears. Many businesses have already made the transition to web-based computing and report consistently lower IT costs.

The Edge™ family of features

Edge™ comes with a full complement of functions, everything you would expect from a management system, and more:
•    Personal Dashboard allows each user to design his/her own home screen, which follows them from computer to computer.
•    User-definable Widgets offer additional customization with “see what you want for who you want” flexibility.
•    Edge™ Imaging raises the bar for all imaging programs and introduces card-flow presentation with card flip to see additional information, shadow alignment, unlimited undo and redo, and many other innovative features.
•    The Scheduler offers Smart Scheduling to optimize productivity and Quick Scheduling to quickly identify open procedures for a given day. Procedure-group scheduling makes coordinating a sequence of procedures quick and efficient. With access to sibling information and real-time patient and practice average statistics, the Edge™ scheduler is unsurpassed.
•    Treatment Hub is everything the orthodontist wants in one place! View the patient’s treatment plan, treatment chart, and tooth chart, including historical views and customized images. It also sets up treatment sequences to streamline patients’ treatment.
•    Incorporated customizable Workflows automate office procedures and tasks.
•    Complete patient history and other forms online, using Online Forms, and information is automatically updated in Edge™. Changed responses are flagged, and key responses can automatically create patient alerts. The user can even be automatically prompted to get a patient’s electronic signature to verify the information.
•    Edge™ includes PC, Mac, and multi-monitor support for the power user.

The Edge™ family is then enhanced with the inclusion of additional modules, many of which are also available for non-Edge™ users:

•    Edge™Animations revolutionizes communication with patients. The cutting-edge rendering techniques produce videos of such exceptional quality they must be seen to fully appreciate their educational power. Features include powerful surgical animations, 3-D animations, easy-to-use graphical interface, annotate-and-draw functionality, custom-audio narration, and more. Edge™ Animations is available for Edge™, ViewPoint, and as a standalone product.
•    Edge™ Reminders streamlines appointment reminders by sending text, voice, and/or e-mail messages to patients. Confirmations automatically appear as an icon in the Scheduler. Pay as you go, with no minimums required. Email reminders are free. Edge™ Reminders is available for Edge™ and ViewPoint users.
•    Edge™ Portal adds online account access to appropriate information for  patients, parents, and consulting professionals. Optionally accept credit-card payments that are automatically posted. Additionally, utilize Edge™ Portal to access vital practice information, such as patient treatment chart information and images, schedule information, and reports, from any computer or web-enabled mobile device.
•    Premier Imaging adds the innovative SmartCeph as well as uniquely effective morphing features. The Bolton Standards are available for no-trace quick review. Premier Imaging is available as an optional module for Edge™, ViewPoint, and as a standalone product.
•    HR Manager allows electronic storage of com-prehensive employee records. Easily track vacation time, hire dates, and other key information. Utilize the TimeClock for efficient management. HR Manager is available for Edge™ and ViewPoint users.

Conclusion

From a program that once was developed on a Wang mini-computer back in the early 1980s to a cutting-edge, cloud-based practice management system, Ortho2 is proud of its nearly 30 years dedicated exclusively to orthodontists. What a great profession orthodontics is! We are proud of our role as provider and strive to do our best to not only provide new emerging technologies to maximize efficiency and profitability, but to help orthodontists succeed every step of the way. We can’t wait to see what the next 30 years will bring!

For more information regarding Ortho2 products and services, please contact an Ortho2 representative at (800) 678-4644, by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , online at www.ortho2.com, or connect with us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ortho2.

This information was provided by Ortho2