Beyond the Office:
How Artificial Intelligence (AI) is Transforming Decision Making in Dentistry and its Future in the Next Generations
Artificial Intelligence is a tool, NOT a substitute for the human, the AI does not tell us what we should do, he says: “hey, this is what maybe you're not seeing, please, take a look”.
Artificial intelligence can help the interpretations radiographic dentists are more accurate, consistent, and objective.
“...In dentistry, there is a saying that says if it shows the same set of x-rays to two dentists different, you get two different interpretations...”
In hospitals during the last decade, artificial intelligence has been implemented in a series of tasks of medical images, including the detection and staging of cancer, the segmentation of pulmonary, cardiovascular medicine, the detection and classification of brain diseases and many others.
Artificial intelligence has existed since 1950, and is defined as “the ability of a machine to perform cognitive functions that we associate with human minds, such as perceiving, reasoning, learning, interact with the environment, solve problems, make decisions, and even to demonstrate creativity”.
Involve train computer systems to find patterns to build analytical models and use algorithms to predict outcomes based on a set of data.
It is important to note that the AI can't replace human intelligence, but rather supports the interpretation and decision of human decisions.
The AI applied in health care has the potential to help doctors reach a diagnosis and to predict an accurate forecast for the cross quickly large amounts of data from patients.5 The data of radiological examinations can be analyzed by algorithms, which have the ability to help with the identification of pathologies and diseases.5 current applications of the technology of AI in dentistry include the detection of oral findings are common, such as tooth decay, calculations, and periapical lesions, as well as pathologies of the salivary glands, bone and of another type, and measurements of the alveolar bone.
The advantages of using AI and its various applications include its ability to reduce or eliminate potential bias and human error, which usually occurs during repetitive work. Dental professionals can use AI to support the clinical decision-making, such as making the interpretation of x-ray is more accurate and consistent, for example.
The future of AI within the faculties of dentistry
Most of the students of dentistry and dental hygiene are digital natives and expect the incorporation of technology in their education. For example, Dr. Yüzbaşıoğlu studied the awareness and perception of dental students turks on AI. Three-quarters of the students agreed that the applications of AI should be part of their programs for predoctoral. The majority of the dental students in this study agreed that the incorporation of AI in their dental education would greatly benefit their learning experience and would prepare them better for the future of clinical practice, further enabled by the technology. Dental students should be well versed on the manage and monitor the tools of AI, and to analyze and interpret critically the data of AI”.
The goal, of course, is to prepare physicians with strong critical thinking skills who are committed to providing the best care to their patients.
Dental schools are responsible for preparing the next generation of physicians who will practice in a world that is increasingly using advanced technology, including artificial intelligence, as a routine part of the delivery and management of care. Dental students expect to participate in learning experiences authentic and active using contemporary technologies to be well prepared for clinical practice.
Recognize the power of the AI is a good starting point for dentists. Beyond that, understand their strengths and weaknesses will allow the dental providers to address the technology in a responsible way, but what is more important is that this understanding will show practitioners how to nurture the strengths of the AI.
In conclusion the technology helps in the processor to be more efficient, more predictable and also increases the quality of decisions
Some of the “Artificial Intelligences” in Dentistry are:
- PEARL / Practice Intelligence
- OVERJET
- AiDental app
- Dentin. AI
- Dentrix Detect AI
- Patient Prism
References
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- Faiella R, Accurso B, Connelly S, et al. Overview of artificial and augmented intelligence uses in dentistry. ADA Standards Committee on Dental Informatics (SCDI) – Artificial Intelligence in Dentistry. July 2022. https://www.ada.org/resources/practice/dental-standards/standards-committee-on-dental-informatics. Accessed September 5, 2022.
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- Breitman LS, Ba AK, Van Doren EJ, Lee JE. A call-to-action: addressing the technological gap in predoctoral dental education. Harvard Medical Student Review. May 22, 2020. https://www.hmsreview.org/covid/addressing-the-technological-gap-in-predoctoral-dental-education. Accessed August 3, 2022.
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- Wolcott MD, Shazib M, Cromartie J, et al. Responding to emerging oral healthcare needs with CARE: Design of the CARE curriculum model. J Dent Educ. 2022 Feb 26. doi: 10.1002/jdd.12959.
- Yüzbaşıoğlu E. Attitudes and perceptions of dental students towards artificial intelligence. J Dent Educ. 2021;85(1):60-68.
- Commission on Dental Accreditation. Accreditation Standards For Dental Education Programs. Chicago, IL: CODA; August 6, 2021. https://coda.ada.org/~/media/CODA/Files/predoc_standards.pdf?la=en. Accessed September 6, 2022.
- Oral Health in America: Advances and Challenges. Bethesda, MD: US Dept of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research; 2021.
- AiDENTAL. https://www.aidental.app/. Accessed September 11, 2022.
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