Columbia Leads Launch of Epic’s New Orthodontics Module

Columbia University College of Dental Medicine is at the forefront of shaping the future of digital orthodontic care. As one of the first institutions in the nation to implement Epic Wisdom’s new

orthodontics tools, Columbia is playing a central role in both developing and testing this new set of integrated electronic health record features.

The new orthodontics module allows providers to track complex, long-term orthodontic treatments in ways that were previously impossible. Sharon Perelman, DDS, MMI, FAMIA, CDM’s chief medical informatics officer and associate professor of dental medicine, co-chairs Epic’s dental steering board. “When we first went live with Epic in 2020, there was no orthodontic module,” Dr.

Perelman says. “Orthodontics is significantly different from other dental disciplines. Treatments span years, require monthly billing, and rely on long-term phased treatment plans, none of which fit neatly into existing documentation tools.”

Epic established an orthodontics brain trust to address this gap and to design orthodontics tools from the ground up. Christine O’Hea, DMD, MDS, associate professor of dental medicine in orthodontics at CDM was involved from the start. “We never had a proper place to manage the very long, phased treatment plans

unique to orthodontics,” Dr. O’Hea says. “Now, we finally have a dedicated space in Wisdom where we can track appliances, start and end dates, and reference the treatment plan directly, rather than relying on makeshift notes.”

Some of the key features of Epic Wisdom for Orthodontics include

• Episode-based care: Orthodontic treatments are now documented as “episodes,” with a clear start and finish, centralizing all orthodontic data in one place.
• Comprehensive treatment planning: Providers can create, manage, and track phased orthodontic plans within the EHR.
• Integrated imaging: Radiographs, panoramic images, and intraoral photos embed directly into the chart.
• Orthodontic-specific snapshots: Other providers can quickly see where a patient is in treatment through a timeline and snapshot view.
• Compliance tracking: Each visit includes documentation on hygiene compliance, supporting collaboration between orthodontists, general dentists, and students.
• Patient engagement through MyChart: Patients can access their orthodontic plans, appointments, and updates directly in the MyChart portal.

Columbia is the second dental school to adopt the orthodontics module, thanks in part to its experience with Epic and its ability to provide detailed feedback. “We are early adopters because we already knew what was missing from Wisdom,” says Dr. O’Hea. “That allowed us to make sure the new tools actually worked for orthodontists in practice.”

The implementation required more than six months of preparation and close collaboration between Columbia’s orthodontic department, informatics specialists, and Epic Together at NewYork-Presbyterian. Dr. Perelman says that this teamwork was essential. “Everyone was invested in making this successful, from our faculty and students to Epic’s developers. That collaboration is what has made Columbia’s implementation so smooth.”

For Columbia, leading this initiative represents more than just a successful software rollout. It’s part of a larger vision for integrated medical and dental care. “The real power is in integration,” Dr. Perelman says. “Now, when patients move between general dentistry and orthodontics, there’s visibility, continuity, and coordination. It strengthens both clinical care and education.”

“With this module, orthodontics isn’t siloed anymore,” Dr. O’Hea says. “General dentists, orthodontists, and patients all have a shared view of treatment progress. That’s a game changer.”