 As a new technology is adopted in dental practice, it becomes important for dental students to gain familiarity with it before graduation. When that technology is designed to help increase diagnostic accuracy, it can also help play a role in dental education itself.
Consistency and reliability, specifically in the realm of caries detection, are lifting the relevance of AI in this area. The future implications of AI for dental education and skills training will likely have a far-reaching impact on students’ self-assessment in all areas of expertise.
When it comes to naming the role AI can play in dental education, perhaps the term "ally" is best. AI-integrated systems can stand alongside dental educators as a training ally in their quest to develop more accurate, timely self-assessment skills in their students.
One of those critical skills—caries detection—is ripe for a paradigm shift with the assistance of AI.
AI algorithms trained to detect caries detection can:
In a dental school setting, this might translate to innovative uses such as:
Caries detection is one of the most practical, relevant current applications of dental AI. Designed to help practicing dentists improve the consistency and reliability of their diagnoses, AI systems that can detect caries are a natural ally for dental educators who are teaching students these same self-assessment skills.
Here's how that plays out in caries diagnostics and dentistry in general.
No one is perfect. Precision is perhaps a better benchmark.
Alongside academic instruction, AI acts as a precision tool to sharpen dental students' ability to discern subtle variations in dental images and spot early-stage caries
AI creates an immediate feedback loop. Dental students get real-time data to support or refine their diagnosis, enabling:
Students engaging with AI during diagnostic training could experience a beneficial confidence boost as their skills improve. Seeing how their diagnoses match up with an objective, standardized AI evaluation could increase not just confidence in themselves, but also trust in their instructors.
Diagnostic confidence also plays a role in effective patient communication and education once new dentists are in practice.
Like all students, dental students have different learning styles. AI provides dental educators a benchmark that can be used to recognize where and how to best adapt the learning environment to help students achieve excellence. For example, results seen with use of AI in the classroom might help in:
Caries detection is the just the first clinical application of dental AI, and dental education is a prime environment for AI innovation. As the use of AI evolves, it will become a stronger and stronger ally in helping educators prepare students for the real world of dentistry.
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Sheela Roth is a veteran dental practice management expert, thought leader and public speaker. As Head of Clinical Education for the dental AI company Pearl, Ms. Roth is responsible for developing and delivering strategic training programs that educate dental offices, staff and partners on AI and its successful application in dentistry. Previously, Ms. Roth founded and led the practice management consultancy Absolute Dental Business Solutions. She earned her BS and RDH from Loma Linda University..
