54% of dental professionals and students use AI in clinical practice, according to a survey by the Dental Defence Union (DDU). The DDU survey of over 200 dental professionals and students found that of those who used a form of AI technology or tools in their clinical practice or studies, 26% used these tools on a weekly basis with a further 24% using them on a daily basis.
While 81% of dental professionals have a degree of confidence about using AI safely and legally in clinical practice, 43% of respondents stated they are concerned about clinical errors or inaccurate AI results. Despite these concerns, 55% felt that their use of AI in clinical practice would increase over the next 12 months. In comparison, just 13% expected their AI usage to stay about the same and 2% felt their usage would decrease over the next 12 months.
As such, dental professionals want more guidance on how to incorporate AI safely and effectively at work, 52% want clearer AI regulation from the government, while 40% felt an NHS approved list of AI tools would be beneficial.
Simon Kidd, Head of the DDU said: “AI is becoming much more common in clinical practice, however, using AI without approval and outside the governance framework of your organisation carries significant personal risks and individuals are responsible for ensuring that patient information remains confidential and that clinical records are accurate, including clinical notes transcribed by AI systems.
“Consequently, it’s crucial that clinicians receive training in how AI tools work, are aware of the possibility of hallucinations and bias and always check the output as they are responsible for any decision or documentation they make with AI.
“At the DDU, we are committed to providing AI guidance and support to our members. With this in mind, we have developed a number of AI resources and members can watch our recent AI webinar on demand.”
The DDU surveyed a sample of medical professionals in September with 242 respondents who included general dental associates (37%), student dentists (20%) and general dental principals (13%).
