Survey says: Patients trust diagnoses more when they are backed by technology

Trusted communication

Consequences often speak for themselves. For example, a patient's lack of trust in your diagnosis can have far-reaching consequences for their oral health and your practice:

  • Care might be delayed.
  • Treatment could be sought elsewhere.
  • Your dental practice misses opportunity.

On the other hand, trust can be enhanced through confirmation, like a second, supporting opinion. With artificial intelligence (AI), you can get that confirmation without the patient leaving your chair—and even better, you can show it to them.

Key Takeaways
  • Patients don't understand x-rays. 65% of respondents in a Pearl survey said that they didn't fully understand what was being shown to them by their dentist.
  • Lack of understanding leads to lack of treatment acceptance. A third of patients in the survey reported switching dentists because they didn't trust a diagnosis. 
  • AI annotations enhance patient trust. Almost three-quarters of survey respondents said the use of AI software to evaluate x-rays would increase their trust in a diagnosis.

The significance of the trust factor in your patient care

A recent Pearl survey evaluated the trust in dental providers among 597 US dental patients. Perceptions about the provider’s use of technology were also included in the findings.

The data revealed that patients’ trust in their provider is a key factor in their decision to accept and proceed with treatment. When asked to rank factors that would influence their willingness to accept a treatment plan, respondents’ replies were emphatic:

  • Trust in the diagnosis (55%)
  • Urgency (28%)
  • Treatment cost (11%)

The survey also noted that patient loyalty and established trust align around two key factors:

  • Clear communication
  • Leveraging the latest technology

So, who or what can you trust?

It might seem strange now to realize that there was a time when x-ray technology was new on the dentistry scene. With it came increased trust in diagnosing dental conditions and recommending treatment.

Even so, there were and are inconsistencies with how a diagnostic image is interpreted. Dentists know that they can view the same radiograph and arrive at different diagnoses. Unfortunately, when patients encounter this situation, it can lead them to doubt their dentist’s knowledge.

Differing professional interpretations are further complicated when patients don’t see or completely understand what you are seeing and pointing out to them. And according to the Pearl survey, most of them—65%—don’t.

This lack of understanding can subtly erode trust in your expertise, especially when the treatment plan includes potentially painful or costly treatment.

Two common actions Pearl survey respondents reported taking because they didn’t trust their dentist’s diagnosis were:

  • Switching dentists (32%)
  • Seeking a second opinion (25%)

What if you could support your initial diagnosis on the spot? Why not go a step beyond a traditional digital x-ray image with advanced technology?

How AI can build trust and facilitate clear communication around your patient diagnoses

Keep in mind that a high percentage of your patients are already inclined toward digital technology. The Pearl survey found that 71% of respondents said they would be more likely to trust their dentist’s diagnosis if the dentist were using AI software to assist in evaluating their x-rays. So when you have the right tools to show patients AI-annotated images in the operatory, you have the opportunity to encourage them to accept treatment.

So how can AI assistance work for you?

Enhance your diagnostic decision-making

Some decisions around a diagnosis are clear-cut. Others might lead you to second-guess yourself. Either way:

  • AI helps verify your case observations.
  • AI enhances your understanding about what you’re seeing.
  • AI provides secondary support to your skills and expertise.
  • AI sharpens your perspective for confirming positive or negative treatment outcomes.

Improve patient communication around your diagnosis

Patients can sense your confidence. Their trust might rely on how confidently you speak about your diagnosis and their treatment plan.

  • AI provides an advanced visual component to your treatment presentations.
  • AI helps confirm the outcomes of following through with—or postponing—treatment based on your diagnosis.
  • AI can reveal a more detailed description of a patient’s condition and a better indication of treatment solutions.

Refine your workflows and diagnostic confirmation

WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) has some relevance during a diagnosis. Digital images tell one part of the patient’s “story.”

There’s also the opportunity to double-check your diagnosis. Again, AI helps verify what you see and gives you additional diagnostic leverage with your patient.

Trust in dentistry can evolve and improve as you engage with your patients using AI. The following resources are an introduction to the impact of AI on dentistry in general and how it can lead to greater trust between you and your patients:

For a copy of the full Pearl Dental Patient Trust and Technology Survey, click here.

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