The internet, and more specifically the creation of the World Wide Web by CERN in 1989/90, transformed the world as we know it. It changed how we access and share information, how we invest our time, how we shop, and how we communicate. We are now spectators and participants, willing or unwilling, of the next great advancement. Artificial intelligence is again transforming the way data is managed, how we can access and analyze information, and even now in its early stages, it is impacting all major industries as well as many aspects of our everyday life, whether we have noticed it already or not.
In spite of this impactful development, we, as oral health care providers, will continue to be instrumental in the provision of dental care to patients. Artificial intelligence is becoming a tool that can improve our ability to connect and communicate with our patients and also can support us in gathering and analyzing patient information and imaging. In the context of patient care, the responsibility associated with the use of artificial intelligence itself or, for that matter, the use of any of the tools artificial intelligence makes possible, still relies on us, the clinicians. Education and guidance regarding these tools is vital.
The professional responsibility associated with the use of artificial intelligence is really no different than that associated to the use of any of the existing clinical tools we already routinely use or any we choose to integrate into our clinical practice in the future. Innovation and integration of novel and evolving technology in not a fresh concept for those of us focusing our clinical practice on the fascinating world of dental implants, and I believe I can say the same for the world of professional dental care as a whole. Treatment alternatives, such as all-on-X treatment protocols, the use of short implants, innovative surgical instruments, the integration of carefully engineered biomaterials, and the application of more advanced diagnostic or treatment planning platforms can assist us in our effort of meeting our patients’ expectations. We, as providers of patient care, select and make use of many clinical tools, be that administrative software, dental materials, surgical techniques or clinical instruments. We are as responsible for the use of any of these as we will be for the of use of artificially intelligent technology.
Despite the impact of AI and the many tasks it can perform with ease, authoring papers, such as those included in this journal, is only possible with human intervention. The experience, logic, and knowledge that human intervention can contribute are crucial in research, education, and the provision of health care. That said, artificial intelligence is learning continuously and at an unimaginable pace. It should not surprise us to soon see it used in a wide gamut of readily available applications, which will likely become user friendly and versatile. This technology promises to reduce human error and to perform time-consuming tasks with ease, improving the way in which we provide care. We should be prepared to maximize the benefits of this technology and also be prepared to minimize the risks. As artificial intelligence learns and adapts, so must we.
About the Editor
Dr. Luisa Schuldt is a graduate of the National Autonomous University of Mexico and the University of British Columbia, and has passed Royal College of Dentists of Canada fellowship examinations in two specialties: Periodontics and Prosthodontics. She is committed to the advancement of these two fields through the delicate balance between evidence-based decision making and the application of cutting-edge technology. She can be reached at [email protected].
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