Attitudes of dentists and patients towards the introduction of artificial intelligence in dentistry

Abstract

This study evaluated the attitudes of dental professionals and patients regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in dental practice. A survey was conducted among dentists, dental students, and patients to assess their trust in AI-generated diagnoses-whether partially or entirely AI-based-and in the direct involvement of AI in treatment. The collected data were statistically processed and analyzed. While approximately 45% of participants across all groups supported the use of AI software for data collection and analysis, most agreed that final diagnostic decisions should remain the dentist's responsibility. Confidence in fully AI-generated diagnoses was low, with only 3.8% of dentists, 10.4% of students, and 10.8% of patients expressing trust in such outcomes. Similarly, the level of trust in dental treatment performed by a computer-controlled dental machine was unsatisfactory. A significant difference was observed in preferences for direct dental care: 66.5% of patients favored it, compared to 79.9% of students and 77.4% of practicing dentists. This discrepancy may be attributed to concerns that AI could substantially reduce the clinical involvement of dentists and students, whereas patients fear that relying solely on AI could compromise the personalized aspect of care, requiring them to entrust their treatment entirely to machines. Hybrid solutions are models that synchronize the analytical capabilities of a dental practitioner with the data inferred by AI. The study found that doctors and patients have positive attitudes towards the introduction of AI as an auxiliary tool. Dental practices should invest in software and technological equipment that enable a new level of dental diagnosis with the aid of AI.

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