Dentistry - art or science? Has the clinical freedom of the dental professional been undermined by guidelines, authoritative guidance and expert opinion?

Attitudes and Perceptions of Australian Dentists and Dental Students Towards Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Dentistry: A Survey

INTRODUCTION

As artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly evolves in dentistry, understanding dentists' and dental students' perspectives is key. This survey evaluated Australian dentists' and students' attitudes and perceptions of AI in dentistry.

METHODS

An online questionnaire developed on Qualtrics was distributed among registered Australian dentists and students enrolled in accredited Australian dental or oral health programmes. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were used to examine the demographic variables and participant attitudes.

RESULTS

177 responses were received, and 155 complete responses were used in data analysis. 54.8% were aware of dental AI applications, but 70.3% could not name a specific AI software. A majority (91.6%) viewed AI as a supportive tool, with 69% believing that it would be beneficial in clinical tasks and 35.6% expecting it to perform similarly to an average specialist. 40% anticipated that dental AI would be routinely used in the next 5-10 years, with more dental students expecting this short-term integration. Concerns included job displacement, inflexibility in patient care, and mistrust of AI's accuracy. Attitudes towards AI were influenced by age, gender, clinical experience and technological proficiency.

CONCLUSIONS

The survey underscores the potential of AI to revolutionise dental care, enhancing clinical workflows and decision-making. However, challenges like trust in AI and ethical concerns remain. It is recommended that practising dentists receive hands-on training with AI tools and continuing dental education programmes. Integrating AI into dental curricula and fostering interdisciplinary teaching and research collaborations between computer science and dentistry is necessary to prepare graduates to use AI effectively and responsibly.

'Is there anything wrong with my teeth and gums?' The challenges of the dental examination and care planning

Patients attend dental professionals with the aim of improving the quality of their lives; they want to be healthier or healthy. This may range from the relief of physical pain, discomfort, or reduced function, to managing the emotional distress of dissatisfaction with appearance. Health, according to the World Health Organisation, is 'a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity', and oral health therefore becomes an essential component of this definition. To meet these aims, dental practitioners should be concerned with the desires and expectations of their patients, as well as their clinical needs. To achieve this, a wide range of knowledge and skills must be employed to first make a diagnosis, then by making clinical decisions to arrive at a care plan that is appropriate for each individual patient and yet remains within the scope of practice as determined by the General Dental Council. Each stage of the interaction between provider and patient - examination care planning, and disease management - presents physical, clinical and ethical challenges. Further, having established the status of the soft and hard tissues, decisions must be made as to whether it is appropriate to leave the patient with some level of disease process or impairment of function rather than attempt to eliminate it entirely. Enhancements, the ever-increasing demand for cosmetic dentistry, and the tension that is created between the desire of the patient and the clinical, moral and ethical obligations of the practitioner, challenge the dentist not to transition from being a professional into the world of commercialism. This article addresses these challenges.