Can Artifical Intelligence replace a dentist?

[Veneermebad]

So I've been hearing a lot of these stories where AI / Robots are most likely to replace repetitive jobs.

I mean has anyone tried autonomous driving? Tesla, Mercedes they all offer it.

Although these guys:

https://techcrunch.com/2019/09/25/using-ai-to-improve-dentistry-videahealth-gets-a-5-4-million-polish/

Are using AI to help / assist the dentist, I wonder if in the future, we could just like walk in a practice, press a few buttons on the screen and the machines will take over.

Sounds bizarre and scary but not really.

How do you guys feel about the whole A.I taking over so many things including the medical (Dentistry) as well?

 

[Dr M]

I doubt if A.I will take over the medical and or dental fields completely. There will always be human factor that they won't be able to account for-at least from where things are currently heading.
A.I is already playing a part in smile design, where it assists dentist in order to design the optimal smile for a patient's profile-sometimes by only using a photo and then also designs the smile in 60 seconds.
A.I will definitely help us in order to streamline current treatment processes, in order to create better outcomes for our patients, in a shorter time period.
But the human factor; the fact that you can decide what will emotionally benefit a patient as well as financially, will be something a computer won't ever be able to replace fully. Sometimes it is necessary to undergo a " compromised treatment plan ", due to unforeseen patient factors, and will an A.I be able to adjust accordingly? Will an A.I give emotional support and/or explanation to a patient whose treatment failed and in such a way that they will feel accepting of the outcome? I doubt it.

 

[Veneermebad]

Thanks for your reply Dr. M. I believe Smileclub would be a good example of disrupting the industry with their 3d printed aligners but still, you need that human connection. However, I do believe we are just at the beginning stages of this whole movement. Especially with Covid forcing people to work from home, they are getting way more accustomed to technology than ever before. Depending on tech is becoming normal. Let's see what happens . . .

 

[Dr M]

Still excited to see what the future holds