Artificial Intelligence in Dental Clinical Care – Part 1

“AI is not just a technology; it’s a mindset that enables us to reimagine what is possible,” Sundar Pichai, CEO Google.

Embracing Dental AI in Clinical Practice

Dental AI has made a remarkable contribution to explore newer facets of dental care (1). Dentists, researchers, and dental business consultants can implement the enormous potential for AI-led diagnostic support and financial returns in dentistry, that were previously left untapped.

As a branch of medical science that deals with both esthetics and health, dentistry is known to have the highest numbers of diagnostic inconsistencies, overdiagnoses, patient anxiety, overhead costs, and capital investment (2). Dentists would need to refurbish their clinical approach, treatment procedures, and financial gains to overcome these drawbacks.

Supporting Diagnostic Accuracy with Dental AI

Dental AI tools have the potential to enhance patient outcomes by 30% to 40% while lowering treatment costs by up to 50% (3). These statistics don’t undermine the clinical or business judgment of a dental practitioner, rather act as adjuncts to support clinicians to grow their businesses organically and provide higher quality treatment.

The 30% accuracy improvement (3) could stem from factors such as:

1. Monotone scales: X-rays have a limited range of Greyscale shades which makes it difficult to see fine details, thereby preventing the accurate detection of some pathologies. Most computer monitors are unable to display monotone shades properly, resulting in time-consuming radiographic analysis.

2. Time constraints: Limited time per patient in high frequency clinics, hampers a clinician’s ability to thoroughly examine radiographs, affecting overall accuracy

3. Delayed communication: Patient case reference to specialists and peers via traditional emails or in-person visits adds time to the decision-making process and delays treatment plan finalization.

To address these accuracy gaps, Dental AI uses computer vision to swiftly analyze every tooth, identify overlooked pathologies, and provide digital annotations, dental charting, and a complete digital report within minutes. This collaborative approach combines a dentist’s expertise with efficient AI-led diagnostic support, resulting in faster and better patient outcomes (4),(5).

Inside the Magic of Dental Artificial Intelligence

AI in dentistry goes beyond enhanced diagnostics and treatment accuracy as it adds significant business value to a dental practice. As a significant support to enhance practice management, it allows dentists to optimize resource allocation, reduce costs, maximize revenue generation, and organically stay ahead of the curve (6),(7).

Overall, a compelling business case can be presented for AI-led dental practices by:

• Stepping-up their efficiency and productivity

Dental AI supports clinicians by providing clear images complete with AI-led analytical support, leading to efficient, simplified and accelerated treatment planning.

• Improved Diagnostic Accuracy

With computer vision technology, machine learning algorithms, and predictability systems, Dental AI tools support enhanced accuracy in diagnoses, early detection of oral health issues, and personalized treatment plans, improving patient outcomes and satisfaction.

• Establishing trust with patients

Dental AI acts as an unbiased reference point for patients to educate themselves about their own condition and trust their dentist’s judgement.

• Competitive advantage with intuitive tooth charts

AI-led clinical support attracts patients seeking advanced dental solutions for their own treatment. Patients appreciate practices that dedicate their time towards educating them. Hence, with intuitive tooth charts designed to support both patient education and support efficient peer-to-peer discussions, AI-led tools pose a competitive advantage to more traditional practices. Additionally, it contributes towards a positive brand image, acting as an organic business growth tool, in a domain where word-of-mouth reference is critical for lasting success.

• Transparent and Quick Communication

Communication is key for a healthy clinical practice. For example, with tools like Diagnocat AI (detailed later in article), all reports and analyses are virtual and available in PDF formats for direct sharing with patients for reference and education. Diagnocat’s Collaborative Tool also supports immediate and remote peer-to-peer discussions for complex clinical cases. Online 3D viewers avert miscommunication and unrealistic patient expectations.

• Optimizes Costs

Dental AI contributes to optimizing resource allocation, cutting operational expenses, lowering costs, thus minimizing inefficiencies. Utilizing predictive analytics, AI aids in financial forecasting and budget planning, resulting in enhanced profitability.

• Data-driven Insights

AI analyzes patient data to provide useful insights for informed decision-making and targeted treatment delivery.

• Continuous Learning

As AI systems improve over time, they allow dentists a unique opportunity to sharpen their clinical skills and stay ahead of the curve by providing cutting-edge treatments solutions to their patients.

Diagnocat AI: Empowering Dentists for Success

Artificial intelligence in Dentistry is molding the present and future prospects of dental care. A dental AI-infused workflow ensures higher patient engagement, improved follow-up experiences, and faster conversion from the assessment to the treatment phase. As a dentist’s virtual dental assistant, tools like Diagnocat AI support all aspects of diagnosis and treatment planning by making it faster, more accurate, and complete. Acting as a second-opinion to support dentists, Diagnocat AI unlocks new possibilities for enhanced dental care of the future.