Is AI The Solution To Better Patient Care?

The Artificial Intelligence digital revolution is underway, and the advanced technology in dentistry can result in a more simplified patient experience with optimal treatment outcomes.

In its simplest form, AI is a fast-moving technology that enables machines to perform tasks previously exclusive to humans, including learning, planning, problem-solving, reasoning, and identifying patterns. The possibilities are endless for AI, and its prevalence is growing at a rapid pace in the dental industry. It has the potential to transform how healthcare is delivered, but education, amongst both experienced practitioners and dental students, will be essential for establishing confidence in the technology.

Artificial Intelligence has made it possible for machines to listen, understand, and identify specifics like humans. The technology is trained to understand the difference between healthy and unhealthy teeth by analyzing data extracted from radiographs. The accuracy of AI in dental analysis can now detect a wide range of dental conditions, such as decay, caries, and oral cancer detection. Various dental specialties, including endodontics, orthodontics, and periodontics, are also utilizing the benefits of AI to identify and treat oral health conditions. Still, final diagnosis and treatment will always remain in the hands of the practitioner, but the technology provides a trusted second opinion for both dentist and patient.

AI has now transitioned into business intelligence and can assist dentists in gaining a better understanding of their demands. The technology can be incorporated into multiple aspects of a practice, including HR, marketing, IT support, budgeting, and more. To reap the rewards, it’s imperative for dentists to identify which areas are the main priority for the practice and where AI will add the most value. 

One specific area of value is dental practice inventory. Inventory management software creates efficiency in ordering and inventory-related tasks. With the help of advanced technology, it can monitor minimal and optimal supply levels that would otherwise be a challenging manual process. This allows dental practices to save valuable time that could be spent clinically rather than dividing their focus into time-consuming administrative tasks. AI is capable of collecting data and forecasting usage and trends that practices may not necessarily be aware of. And this could directly relate to sufficient cost savings. 

In the future, AI will become the centre of many industries. Being open to the Artificial Intelligence revolution in dentistry provides the opportunity to use advanced technology to create a more streamlined and efficient practice that’s even more capable of achieving optimal patient care.