The Role of Ai in Modern Dentistry:
How Technology is Changing the Field
(Part 7 of 7)
Balancing Technology and Human Oversight
Although AI’s potential to help with dentistry is through the roof, dentists still need to step on the brake pedal and consider important ethical considerations.
AI shouldn’t replace human intelligence and common sense. Ethically and practically, AI should be used as a tool rather than a replacement for dentist decision-making. The dentists are still there to ultimately make the final call.
AI shouldn’t replace human judgment in critical dental care areas. What they should be used for instead is keeping the patient on the same page as the dentist.
Instead of blindly trusting his care in the good hands of an expert dentist, AI-driven DSD or CAD/CAM can be used to run simulations on what to expect.
AI should be used for:
∙ Processing data
∙ Identifying patterns
∙ Instantly delivering information
∙ Presenting info that the dentist might miss
∙ Make it easier and faster to process patients
∙ Digest and summarize data in an understandable way
AI shouldn’t be used for:
∙ Decision-making
∙ Automation with zero human oversight
∙ As a replacement for a doctor’s diagnosis
∙ Imbalanced usage bordering on overdependence
∙ Diagnosis on its own without dentist confirmation
∙ Nuanced, empathetic understanding of the patient’s condition
As a rule of thumb, patients should search for dental professionals who use AI in a way that strikes a balance between AI reliance and the human touch that’s essential for empathetic patient-centered care.
You can’t program common sense, reason, or care into AI—that’s still the dentist’s call. AI is a tool that enhances, not replaces, the dentist’s capabilities.
By integrating AI into any given practice in a thoughtful and ethical manner, dentists the world over can offer the best of both worlds to their patients: Cutting-edge technology combined with personalized, compassionate dental care.