This article will acquaint the reader with recent developments pertaining to AI and dentistry. In a brief space, this article provides:
AI has made significant inroads in healthcare. From diagnostics and drug design to treatment planning and patient monitoring, health care professionals are discovering new ways AI can improve the practice of medicine. To understand how these improvements are extending to dentistry, it is important to understand some of the basic terms and, from there, talk about how they are changing the dental industry.
AI is the acronym for artificial intelligence, a term used to describe computer systems that can imitate some forms of human learning and reasoning. AI itself is not a singular technique of computing, but rather a category covering multiple distinct software technologies. Some of the most common examples of AI in health care are:
A large language model (LLM) is a software program trained to understand human speech. Understanding human speech, in this context, means that input in the form of everyday language can be interpreted by the system and the system can, with the assistance of generative AI (explained below) produce an output in language a non-specialist can understand. LLMs are very helpful inasmuch as they allow people without programming experience to meaningfully interact with an AI system.
Machine learning refers to AI technology that employs statistics, algorithms, and considerable data resources to imitate human thinking processes. Machine learning is often used to make predictions. A machine learning system, over time, may improve in predictive accuracy because of continuous data consumption and revisions based past predictions versus actual results.
Generative AI has attracted sizeable press coverage because of its ability to create like a human being. These original creations resemble the items on which they are based, whether an answer using the English language, a story, an image, or a musical composition. Some generative AI systems use a Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) to produce a new creation resembling an existing category of items. A GAN possesses one neural network for creating original content and another for the content’s critical assessment. The latter networks is “adversarial” because it compares the new creation to examples confirmed to be authentic. If it can distinguish the new creation from the confirmed examples, the first neural network must improve through subsequent iterations until the latter cannot reliably differentiate between new content and the confirmed content.
There are new uses for AI in dentistry every year. Some noteworthy examples are as follows.
AI has demonstrated significant advances in medical image processing. For example, M.I.T. working in partnership with Massachusetts General Hospital produced an AI system named Sybil. This system, using machine learning, can predict lung cancer risk for the following six years based on one low-radiation chest scan. Moreover, it makes this prediction without the assistance of a radiologist. Dr. Lecia Sequist, medical oncologist, said that "Sybil was able to detect patterns of risk…that were not visible to the human eye.” Sybil's analysis is so sophisticated that the system has, in some instances, detected initial lung cancer indications that radiologists did not recognize until lung nodules were visible on scans years later.
In dentistry, AI is being used to improve the detection of cavities. AI’s sophistication on image interpretation may help dentists improve diagnoses by drawing attention to details that might otherwise be missed. Florian Hillen, CEO of a dental imaging company developed from MIT and Harvard AI research, commented, “AI-powered tools are now helping dentists identify dental decay in patients up to five years earlier,” he said. “The tech revolution is happening.”
Machine learning is also being used to combat the loss of teeth. Harvard's School of Dental Medicine has developed machine learning code that identifies which teeth are at highest risk for future loss. With this information, a dentist can formulate an intervention plan to prevent the loss from happen, or if that is not possible, delay when tooth loss occurs. Preventing tooth loss has numerous benefits, according to the researchers. Aside from the oral health, there are other benefits according to researchers. Preserving teeth can help ensure a person is eating properly and maintaining proper nutrition. Additionally, tooth loss prevention can have social benefits for people who would avoid interactions due to embarrassment over the look of lost teeth.
A Reputation Based on Trust
We do our best to provide you the best experience ever
Tell your friends and family
Very affordable plans and a wide range to choose from to fit your budget...Belle Chase, LA
Thank you for a pleasant experience
I got signed up for Dental Insurance and your Representative made it very easy...Grantville, GA
Chatbots are an obvious AI tool that can be applied to front office dental practice activities such as collecting patient data (name, contact information, insurance, symptoms, etc.) to prepare for treatment. A chatbot is a device or software system that interacts with humans conversationally. It uses a LLM and generative AI to ask questions and interpret spoken or written answers. A chatbot can also be used for phone-based customer service as well as after-hours care.
Moving from the front office to the back office, AI also has the potential to assist with claims processing. Ideally an AI system would learn from past experience in order to reduce the instance of claim denials. On the dental insurance side, insurers are investigating AI for its potential to identify fraudulent dental claims and reduce unnecessary spending on such claims.
Our agents can:
While AI holds significant promise for dentistry, it is one technology among many within the industry. Multiple factors, such as regulation and research investment, will determine the degree of advancements AI will bring to dental service consumers. For the time being, the early examples of AI-assisted dentistry are promising.
Our knowledgeable customer service team will assist you with any questions you may have prior to enrolling in a dental plan. They can guide you through the process of choosing coverage that matches your needs as well as your budget.
