Recently released data shows that 59% of respondents would be more likely to take the treatment recommendation of their dentist if it was supported by artificial intelligence (AI).
The survey of over 1,000 US adults was conducted in October and released earlier in December by VideaHealth.
A majority of respondents (81%) said they had previously questioned or hesitated to commit to treatment suggested by their dentist. A further 44% had declined or delayed treatment in the past.
Reasons for this hesitation include cost (53%), fear or pain (28%), or because the issue does not seem serious (18%). Around one third (31%) said they ignore problems entirely or only seek treatment once they are too painful to ignore.
However, significant numbers of the participants across all age groups were more likely to accept treatment if the decision was backed by AI. This was particularly prevalent in the ‘Baby Boomer’ group, with 65% of respondents in agreement.
Respondents gave several reasons for their positive view of dental AI, including:
- It would lead to less invasive treatment (44%)
- It saves money (37%)
- It may not falsely overdiagnose (32%)
- It could help prevent systemic disease (31%).
Florian Hiller is the CEO of VideaHealth. He said: ‘AI in dentistry is a game-changer. The positive impact of dental AI on patient behaviour can make a meaningful impact on health, which in turn can drive down costs.’
AI in healthcare
A previous survey suggested that views were less positive around AI in wider healthcare. Around six in 10 participants (57%) said that using AI to diagnose and suggest treatments would worsen the patient-provider relationship. Only 13% said it would be better.
In general, knowing more about AI made respondents more positive about its use in healthcare. Of those who said they had heard a lot about AI, 50% would be comfortable with its use in their own care.
This figure was slightly higher in relation to dentistry specifically. Over half (53%) of respondents to the VidaHealth survey were open to the use of AI in dentistry. Almost six in 10 (59%) were open to AI if it helps catch issues early or reduces the need for future invasive treatment.
Views on AI have also been reported as fairly positive among dental professionals. In a survey by Dentaly.org, 62% of dentists agreed that some operational tasks could be carried out by AI. Over a third (35%) had already implemented AI in their dental practice, and none said they were very unlikely to adopt it.
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