According to the OED, orientate is a word, meaning much the same thing as the verb orient. Like you mention, however, there is also an etymology note there that says the following: More commonly used in British English than orient, while the latter is the more frequent of the two in American English.

Actually, “orientate” is the correct word. “Orient” when used to mean “orientate” is used figuratively, as the word itself means rising from the East or East. I know it’s common parlance to talk of one who is “well oriented.”