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Corporate Profile: Ortho2

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Orthotown Magazine talks with Amy Schmidt, Director of Marketing and Corporate Relations at Ortho2, about its practice management system, Edge, its education program, Edge U, and its recent new product, Edge Resident - as well as what's on deck for the future.

In April 2010, Orthotown Magazine profiled Ortho2 and its (at the time) brand new practice management system, Edge. Since then, how have things changed at Ortho2?
Schmidt: The release of Edge in 2010 returned us to being a twoproduct- line company, as we were when Windows arrived and we had both DOS and Windows systems. In addition to this, we have released several components that work with both our Edge and ViewPoint products: Edge Animations, Edge Imaging, Edge Reminders and Premier Imaging. We also just released the free Edge Mobile app for Apple and Android devices (see sidebar on page 32). Several years ago we introduced UserVoice, which gives customers a direct link to our developers. This gives us an amazing channel of input that helps us focus our development on what our customers want. With this input, both Edge and ViewPoint have been updated numerous times. Edge, in particular, is a much more polished and comprehensive system than it was in its early days.

How many enhancements to Edge have been made? Can users/customers expect new enhancements soon?
Schmidt: Absolutely. Edge has received hundreds, if not thousands of enhancements, performance tweaks and user-experience improvements. The cloud is fantastic for accessibility and simplifying tasks for the user, but it presents unique challenges as well. As with many things, it isn't so much what you do as how you do it, and our early experience in cloud development gave us an edge (pun intended). For example, consider large files like high-quality images. Even with a high-speed Internet connection, they take some time to upload and download between stations and locations. I've heard competitors boast of "instantaneous" file transfers, but we all know there is no such thing. So for Edge we designed a clever local cache that eliminates the need for cloud transfer on large files whenever possible. The user experiences a quick, responsive system, while the underlying cache logic does the heavy lifting. The alternatives are to wait or to use only low-res images. These are the kinds of compromises that we don't want our customers to have to make.

What sort of feedback have you received about Edge? Are there certain functions it offers that orthodontists aren't using to the fullest extent or might not be aware of? Any Edge tips or tricks you'd like to offer up here?
Schmidt: We actually just held another meeting to gather input from Edge users, and their consensus was that Edge is now "awesome" (their word, not mine). One feature that customers love is the personal dashboard, where one customized screen provides a dynamic display of just the information and functions most useful for each individual. But Edge Workflows may still be the most untapped resource in the system, although the news is spreading fast. With Workflows, you essentially say, "when x occurs, make y happen," where x and y can be almost anything. It is an incredibly powerful function. We also recently released a Timepoint Morphing feature, which seamlessly blends one image into another, and makes patients want to share fun, branded videos on social media. Edge isn't just about staff sitting at computers. With Edge Portal, Edge Apps, Edge Reminders, Edge Animations and many other functions, we are engaging everyone; doctors, staff, parents, patients and consulting professionals, in productive and mutually beneficial ways.

Ortho2 has always placed great emphasis on orthodontic residents and education and recently rebranded Edge U, the company's education program. Can you tell our readers more about this program?
Schmidt: We are very excited to bring all the resources available to residents and universities under one umbrella. Residents can visit the Edge U website, www.ortho2.com/edgeu, to sign up for our Cutting Edge Webinar Series, where top industry consultants and practicing doctors present on a wide range of topics designed to prepare them for the challenges they face post-graduation. In addition to the Cutting Edge Webinar Series, Edge U also gives us a platform to share information on our University Donation Program, Resident Purchase Program, Lunch & Learn Visit Program, as well as our latest offering, Edge Resident.

How can residents get involved in Edge U?
Schmidt: Residents can visit the Edge U website, www.ortho2.com/edgeu, or stop by and see us at many of the meetings this fall.

You've also recently launched a new program called Edge Resident. Can you tell us more about it? What does it offer?
Schmidt: Edge Resident encompasses some of the most dynamic and graphical aspects of the Edge practice management suite, including Edge Animations, Edge Imaging, Premier Imaging and Edge Portal Personal, packaged together specifically for residents. And it's free! By using these tools, residents are able to explore how practice management systems and hosting data in the cloud can benefit their future practices.

 
Edge Mobile

Edge Mobile provides smartphone and tablet access to Edge practice data, showing biographical information, scheduled appointments, the full treatment chart, all images and responsible party information. Users can easily call, text or e-mail the patient or any responsible party. Additionally, users can view and remove patient records contained in any number of user-definable Stacks.


Edge Mobile displays the schedule exactly as it appears in Edge, and also provides a list view of appointments that can be sorted by time, name, or procedure. In addition, each user can scroll through all of the practice graphs and metrics they have selected for their personalized Edge Dashboard. Edge Mobile is free and immediately available for all Edge clients with Android and iOS (iPhone/iPad) devices.		  

How have you developed and tested this new program? What were your goals in developing it?
Schmidt: We have frequently heard residents state that they are trained in a lot of areas while in school, but would like more practice management experience. Edge Resident was developed with this in mind. We took the full Edge practice management system and structured it to allow residents to utilize aspects that are most important for them while in school.

When this project began, our goal was to provide residents with direct access to a powerful set of tools they can use on their own time. We officially released Edge Resident nationwide at GORP 2013.

Why should residents get involved with Edge Resident? What makes it different from Edge?
Schmidt: Edge Resident allows residents to get hands-on experience with a practice management system. It provides an opportunity to explore a major financial decision before the pressure of starting a new practice. Edge Resident was developed specifically for residents and is available for use free of charge while in school, and up to six months after graduation.

Do you provide training for Edge Resident? How does it coincide with orthodontic curriculum?
Schmidt: Yes, we will introduce Edge Resident via webinar, and have worked to create an extensive library of interactive resources, available at edgeresident.ortho2.com, to help residents learn the program on their own. Additionally, they will have access to all the tools available to any other Ortho2 customer. And a dedicated e-mail support line gives them direct access to our advanced support should they need it.

How can residents get their hands on this software?
Schmidt: All a resident needs to do is go to www.ortho2.com/edgeu to register for an Edge Resident webinar. Access to the software is made immediately available upon completion of this 30-minute webinar and will remain in effect up to six months post-graduation. It's that easy.

How do residents transition from Edge Resident to Edge upon graduation? What sort of help do you offer?
Schmidt: Transitioning from Edge Resident to full Edge is simple. Edge Resident users are technically using software built on the full Edge platform. Once they are ready to begin practice on their own, we will be able to put together a package customized for their needs and open more areas of the program to accommodate these needs. Additionally, our Resident Purchase Program will ease the way by keeping monthly payments very low, with zero percent financing.

Edge (launched in 2010) was Ortho2's third PM software offering in 30 years, and now you're releasing this new program - is it safe to say we can see more new products from Ortho2 in the coming years? What else do you have up your sleeves?
Schmidt: Yes, we are excited about smartphones and tablets, and the opportunities they offer to even further extend how our clients can reach patients and prospective patients. As you mention, Edge is our third system, and only the second time we have created a next-generation platform. Starting over is a daunting, yet freeing undertaking. Freeing, because you get to build with the benefit of all you have learned before; daunting because of the sheer scope of existing and new functions that need to be created. But we realized that the cloud could be a game changer in 2007 and made the decision to fully embrace its potential. Some companies have elected to port their existing products to the cloud through a service. It works, and is definitely easier. (I suspect it's also a way to buy time to build their real cloud systems.) But only by designing for the cloud from the ground up, as we did with Edge, do you have the foundation to fully utilize many of the rapidly evolving cloud innovations and we are tremendously excited to be doing just that!

Orthotown Magazine
October 2025
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