Building patient trust with AI

  Posted by: Dental Design      29th February 2024

I often talk about the opportunities afforded by digital technology in dentistry and in the wider healthcare sector. In particular, the advent and development of artificial intelligence (AI) offers significant potential for dental professionals and patients alike. An area I have not discussed at length before is the impact that AI-supported workflows can have on the patient-practitioner relationship.

I was interested to read the results from a new survey[i] that suggested AI could have a significant impact on patient perceptions of their dental care.

The idea is that AI-assisted technology validates the dentist’s diagnosis and consequent recommendations in the eyes of the patient. When looking at why patients trusted AI, the poll found that 44% believed it to facilitate less invasive treatment and 37% thought it would save them money. There was also a feeling among 32% of people surveyed that AI would avoid overdiagnosis, while 31% thought it would help to prevent systemic disease.

Overall, the survey found that 53% of participants were open to the use of AI in dentistry, and this increased to 59% when they understood that AI helps to catch issues early or lowers the need for invasive dental treatment in the future. Interestingly, the results demonstrated differences in opinion between age groups. Approximately 65% of baby boomers were more likely to trust their dentist’s decision with AI support, compared to the average of 59% across all participants. As might be more expected, millennials were most likely to trust AI in all categories and for all reasons.

So, what does this mean for us dental teams on the ground? That AI could well provide an effective tool in enhancing the patient-practitioner relationship and encourage treatment acceptance. If our patients are more comfortable with their diagnoses and our professional advice because an AI-assisted programme – which they deem unbiased – agrees, then this could help them accept the treatment that they need for better oral health.

Many of us already use some form of AI in the practice, but how much do we really promote this to patients? Could we do more to show them that we have technologies in place to double check our findings and provide checklists that ensure the accuracy and completeness of our treatment plans? Maybe a simple conversation about the equipment that we use to take and interpret radiographs, or the software utilised for treatment simulations and planning could inspire their confidence in us.

Patient trust is essential for the delivery of high-quality dental care. Only if they feel comfortable with our advice will they follow instructions and accept treatment recommendations. If AI can help us put their minds at ease, it could be a very useful tool indeed.

Dr Michael Sultan Bio:

EndoCare, led by Dr Michael Sultan, is one of the UK’s most trusted Specialist Endodontist practices. Through the use of the latest technologies and techniques, the highly-trained team can offer exceptional standards of care – always putting the patient first. What’s more, EndoCare is a dependable referral centre, to which dentists from across the country send their patients for the best in specialist endodontic treatment.

[i] Videa health. Poll: More than 90% of Americans know dental disease can increase potential risk for disease, and yet nearly 1 out of 2 have declined or delayed treatment. Business wire. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231211171536/en/Poll-More-than-90-of-Americans[%E2%80%A6]d-Yet-nearly-1-out-of-2-Have-Declined-or-Delayed-Treatment [Accessed December 2023]