Artificial Intelligence (AI) is making dentists lives easier! A common daily task that is repeated throughout the work day is a dentist reviewing X-rays and making decisions on improvements their patients need for a healthier mouth. Discover how artificial intelligence will change the future of dentistry in the coming years.
Technology is touching all areas of our lives! The term artificial intelligence is becoming a household name, but does anyone really know what it means? The definition of AI is the development and theory of computer systems that are able to perform tasks that usually require the intelligence of humans.
Examples of Artificial Intelligence
The most common examples of AI today are language translation, email filters, calendar reminders, fraud prevention, chatbots, speech recognition, visual perception, search engine predictive searches, product recommendations, and decision making.
Today, AI touches our everyday lives such as with Alexa and Siri among other technology. Now, dentistry is experiencing a positive impact from AI which is expected to become popular among those in the industry.
How is AI applied in dentistry?
AI can be trained to analyze a large number of data sets and “learn” to render optimal diagnoses by providing early detection of caries, periodontal disease, and even oral cancer.
As long as the machines are provided with the proper data set, and correctly trained on how to recognize patterns, machines can facilitate faster, more efficient outcomes.
The Use of AI in Dentistry
On occasion, some dentists can become overwhelmed because they are trying to process conversations with the patient, reviewing X-rays and making important decisions all at the same time. While most professionals are highly trained to multi-task and make crucial decisions, they are human and mistakes are sometimes made.
The introduction of AI into dentistry allows technology to work 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Machines are programmed or “trained” to recognize patterns, read radiographs, acknowledge spoken the language, scan images and understand written text.
One of the extraordinary advantages AI offers dentistry is that technology isn’t biased. Humans are more likely to judge things prematurely compared to the technology that never judges and only based results or decisions on facts.
Cloud computing and big data have provided access to large data sets needed to train intelligent systems. However, this training requires a large amount of storage which often comes with a high cost. Deep learning uses layered neural networks that are patterned after the human brain.
The healthcare industry, in general, is a natural fit for AI applications. Now dentistry is getting its chance to implement AI into the industry which will help dentists and orthodontists provide accurate information their customers without worrying they made a mistake due to long working hours.
How Dr. Jacquie Smiles Uses AI in Her NYC Practice
Dr. Jacquie Smiles, an NYC orthodontist says, “What I do with my patients is the perfect balance between science and art. I explain the science behind what is occurring throughout their treatment and AI technology will be an excellent asset for my practice as well as for my patients.”
Future of Dentistry
The newest technology being developed is showing capabilities enabled by deep learning techniques. Technology such as caries detection has demonstrated AI’s value in everyday dental practices and will become the standard in the future.
The new AI technology has already proven to be useful during testing which has confirmed its capabilities to recognize things highly trained dentists have missed.
Developers are still researching and testing technologies that will allow dentists to provide their patients with more accurate information. Technology specifically made for dentistry is expected to grow over the next few years and into the future.
However, AI may never fully replace the human dentist. As technology improves, AI will help dental professionals perform at a higher level by making their jobs much easier without human error. The future of dentistry is bright with artificial intelligence and new technological advancements becoming the standard in every practice by providing more data points for clinical decision making.
