Say hi to AI
Featured Products Promotional FeaturesPosted by: Dental Design 9th February 2024
The integration of AI technology in dentistry has opened up a realm of possibilities
With news that a private school in Sussex has recently appointed an AI chatbot, named Abigail Bailey, as its new ‘principal headteacher’[i] you may be wondering where it will all end. Can AI be trusted? Will it, one day, take away my job?
Indeed, some models of AI have shown a variety of applications in endodontics, including studying the anatomy of the root canal system, forecasting the viability of stem cells of the dental pulp, measuring working lengths, pinpointing root fractures and periapical lesions and calculating the success of retreatment procedures.[ii]
You have probably heard of ChatGPT, the free-to-use AI system, which can compose essays, describe art in great detail, have philosophical conversations and much more. It can also assist in various areas of healthcare and medicine such as structuring scientific literature, analysing vast literature and functioning as a conversationalist agent.[iii]
The World Health Organization is enthusiastic about the use of AI to support healthcare professionals but has called for rigorous oversight in order for it to be used safely and ethically. It has identified six core principles for its use in healthcare: (1) protect autonomy; (2) promote human well-being, safety and the public interest; (3) ensure transparency, explainability, and intelligibility; (4) foster responsibility and accountability; (5) ensure inclusiveness and equity; (6) promote AI that is responsive and sustainable.[iv]
To some extent, the use of AI is just another aspect of the move into digital dentistry. However, the way you work with AI is different from the way of working with other new technologies the profession has adopted and adapted to. In the past, most new tools simply enabled tasks to be performed more efficiently. For example, the advent of the intraoral scanner sped up the taking of an impression.[v] So, efficiency was boosted – along with the patient experience – but the general process remained largely the same.
AI is different. It has a more substantial influence on work and processes because it is able to find patterns that we often can’t see and then use them to provide insights and analysis, predictions and suggestions. Officially, it’s an umbrella term for a range of technologies and approaches that attempt to mimic human thought to solve complex tasks.[vi]
It is regularly put to the test. In May, the latest version of the AI chatbot ChatGPT-4 passed a radiology board-style examination, answering 81% of the questions correctly.[vii] Interestingly, it answered 12 questions incorrectly that an earlier version (GPT-3.5) had answered correctly.
In healthcare, AI can be used to spot early signs of illness and diagnose disease. Researchers have used various AI-based techniques to detect diseases of the skin, liver, heart and even Alzheimer’s.[viii] Most recently, there has been the ground-breaking news that determining whether a person is diabetic could be as easy as having them speak a few sentences into their smartphone, according to a study that combines voice technology with AI in a major step forward in diabetes detection.[ix]
AI can also be used to help dental professionals during complex dental procedures. ‘Navigational surgery’ – as opposed to ‘guided surgery’ – is where AI-guided robots assist in treatments such as jaw reconstruction or dental implant placement, increasing the success rates of these procedures while reducing the risk of complications. [x]
At a recent webinar discussing ‘Implants in practice – how to use AI and technology to work efficiently’,[xi] Dr Martin Wanendeya of London-based practice Ten Dental highlighted the five key areas AI will impact dentistry: diagnosis, planning, record keeping, education and marketing. He said he hoped that the world would reach a consensus on what AI is going to be used for, given its propensity for disruption but also huge benefits. He believes that dental professionals need to use technology to its fullest so that practices thrive, not simply survive.
With AI-driven diagnostic tools, dental professionals can leverage the power of machine learning algorithms to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of diagnosis. These algorithms can analyse x-rays, CT scans and other dental images to detect and diagnose conditions. Dental professionals are inundated with radiography, scans and patient information on a daily basis. AI tools offer the ability to make sense of this vast quantity of data quickly and efficiently.
Acknowledging technology was improving all areas of dentistry, Dr Wanendeya highlighted one element – note taking – was often left out of the equation. AI-driven tools have the potential to improve the efficiency of dental workflows. He is a keen proponent of Kiroku, the digital, AI-assisted note taking platform.
Docs is Kiroku’s latest time-saving and efficiency-boosting feature and allows dental professionals to easily generate documents, using their clinical notes. With Kiroku Docs customised referral letters, consent forms, treatment planning letters, and patient information documents are easily produced – quickly and efficiently. Where appropriate, Docs can translate dental terms into patient-friendly language too, helping to improve communication with patients. The documents created can also be shared with other clinicians, or the wider practice team, from within the Kiroku platform.
AI technology is transforming the field of dentistry, revolutionising diagnostics and treatment planning. From early detection of oral health issues to personalised treatment plans, AI is helping dental professionals provide better care and improve patient outcomes. As the integration of AI in dentistry continues to evolve, it remains imperative for dental professionals to embrace these advances and leverage AI technology to its full potential.
To find out more about Kiroku, or to start your free trial, please visit https://trykiroku.com/?utm_source=probe&utm_medium=trade_media&utm_campaign=brand
[i] Tech Co https://tech.co/news/school-ai-chatbot-principal-headteacher
[ii] Agrawal P, Nikhade P. Artificial Intelligence in Dentistry: Past, Present, and Future. Cureus. 2022 Jul 28;14(7):e27405. doi: 10.7759/cureus.27405. PMID: 36046326; PMCID: PMC9418762. [Accessed October 2023]
[iii] Dave T, Athaluri SA, Singh S. ChatGPT in medicine: an overview of its applications, advantages, limitations, future prospects, and ethical considerations. Front Artif Intell. 2023 May 4;6:1169595. doi: 10.3389/frai.2023.1169595. PMID: 37215063; PMCID: PMC10192861. [Accessed November 2023]
[iv] World Health Organization https://www.who.int/news/item/16-05-2023-who-calls-for-safe-and-ethical-ai-for-health
[v] Jánosi KM, Cerghizan D, Mártha KI, Elekes É, Szakács B, Elekes Z, Kovács A, Szász A, Mureșan I, Hănțoiu LG. Evaluation of Intraoral Full-Arch Scan versus Conventional Preliminary Impression. J Clin Med. 2023 Aug 24;12(17):5508. doi: 10.3390/jcm12175508. PMID: 37685574; PMCID: PMC10487891. [Accessed October 2023]
[vi] Information Commissioner’s Office https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and-resources/artificial-intelligence/explaining-decisions-made-with-artificial-intelligence/part-1-the-basics-of-explaining-ai/definitions/#definitions_1
[vii] The National News https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/technology/2023/05/16/chatgpt-passes-radiology-board-exam-but-still-has-limitations/
[viii] Kumar Y, Koul A, Singla R, Ijaz MF. Artificial intelligence in disease diagnosis: a systematic literature review, synthesizing framework and future research agenda. J Ambient Intell Humaniz Comput. 2023;14(7):8459-8486. doi: 10.1007/s12652-021-03612-z. Epub 2022 Jan 13. PMID: 35039756; PMCID: PMC8754556. [Accessed October 2023]
[ix] Jaycee M. Kaufman, MSc Anirudh Thommandram, MASc, Yan Fossat, MSc. Acoustic Analysis and Prediction of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Using Smartphone-Recorded Voice Segments Open Access Published:October 17, 2023 DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mcpdig.2023.08.005 [Accessed October 2023]
[x] Novelli G, Moretti M, Meazzini MC, Cassé CMA, Mazzoleni F, Sozzi D. Introduction to Surgical Navigation in Oral Surgery: A Case-Series. Oral. 2023; 3(2):146-154. https://doi.org/10.3390/oral3020013 [Accessed October 2023]
[xi] Update Webinars https://view6.workcast.net/register?cpak=2505700660935314
