AI in Pediatric Dentistry: A Buzzword Worth Buzzing About

Today I will talk about Artificial Intelligence…

You’ve probably heard people talk about Artificial Intelligence (AI) like it’s magic—robots diagnosing diseases, apps predicting your next move, and even machines writing poems.

But what does AI really mean for us as pediatric dentists?

Is it just a tech trend? Or is it something that can actually help us take better care of children’s oral health?

In this blog, I’ll break down what AI actually is, how it fits into pediatric dentistry, and what it means for you—whether you're a student, clinician, or researcher.

What Exactly Is AI?

Artificial Intelligence, at its core, is about making computers think and learn like humans—mimicking human intelligence. We can make computers learn using special programs, called algorithms. These algorithms are structured and programmed by AI engineers—in sync with the needs of the users.

And who are the users? Literally anyone! This cohort can include clinicians, architects, finance professionals, people working in media and advertising, students, homemakers—literally everyone.

Depending on the type of algorithm architecture used, there are various sub-domains of AI, mainly including Machine Learning, Deep Learning, and Artificial Neural Networks.

• Machine Learning (ML): AI that learns from data. For example, based on your movie preferences on any OTT platform, it automatically suggests another similar movie.
• Deep Learning: A more advanced version of AI that mimics the 'deep neural layers' of the brain—and hence is called Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs). A subtype of this is CNN (Convolutional Neural Network), which is great at recognizing patterns in images like radiographs. This is the architecture commonly used in dentistry.
• Large Language Models & Natural Language Processing (NLP): These help computers understand human language. Think: AI reading dental notes or chatting with patients. This is the technology behind ChatGPT.
• Computer Vision: Allows AI to “see” and interpret images (like spotting caries in bitewings); this overlaps with CNN applications.

Whenever we train a computer, we use data from patients—called input data. This data is split into two sets: the training set and the validation set. After training and validating an algorithm using any of the above methods, the software becomes ready to assist us in detection, prognostication, and treatment planning for our future patients.

Oh! Wow. How easy it is to understand that AI helps in detection, prognostication, and treatment planning.

Of course, these are not the only uses—AI can help in everything, literally everything.

Now coming to important question - Where Can AI Help Us in Pediatric Dentistry?

Here are just a few areas where AI is already proving useful:

1. Smarter Diagnosis: AI tools can assess radiographs or intraoral photos and highlight areas with suspected caries, missed canals, or even malocclusion e.g . Tools like Overjet and VideaHealth are already FDA-approved for this!
2. Predicting Risk: Imagine knowing which child is more likely to develop cavities or skip appointments based on their data. AI helps you personalize care.
3. Managing Dental Anxiety: Some startups are using AI-based games or virtual assistants to reduce fear in children before a dental visit—auto-analyzing anxiety levels and behavior patterns. Truly a friendly AI buddy!
4. Helping Researchers: Aww… AI is helping the researchers too! Easy scanning through thousands of research papers in minutes, analyzing data from hundreds of patient files to find patterns, and even assisting in writing research reports and systematic reviews.
   Dear colleagues and students—use this to do more.
5. Making Admin Easy: AI can transcribe your notes, schedule appointments, and even help you chart—giving you more time for patients and less screen time.
6. Patient Engagement: AI enabled apps and robot systems are also available which can be directly used by the patients to determine the ongoing dental issues by clicking the live pictures through the App/ robots.

Find Your Place in the AI Ecosystem

First determine how you want to use AI—this is your entry point into the AI ecosystem. You can be:

• An AI Engineer ( yes! Some dentists can go one step further and learn AI modeling)
• A Clinician—and contribute as a data provider or data annotator
• A Thinker—imagine new ways AI can be applied, and form teams with engineers and researchers
• An AI Researcher—responsible for validating AI algorithms, just like we do for a new dental product
• Or simply a Consumer AI-powered tools

As this is a novel field, the onus of developing good AI algorithms lies with the researchers, academicians, and clinicians of this generation.

So, choose your role and contribute.

But Wait—Are There Any Concerns?

Yes, and we need to talk about them too:

• Data Privacy: Patient records must be protected.
• Bias in AI: If an AI model is trained mostly on U.S. data, it may not perform well for Indian children.
• Over-reliance: AI should support decisions—not replace clinical judgment.
• Training Gap: Dental education must catch up and integrate AI literacy for the next generation.

So, What’s the Bottom Line?

AI isn’t some far-off, sci-fi idea. It’s already making our lives easier and our patient care better—if we know how to use it.

You don’t need to be a coder or data scientist. But understanding how AI fits into dentistry will help you work smarter, not harder. Whether you're still in college, seeing patients, or publishing research—AI is your ally. The future of pediatric dentistry will be shaped by those who embrace both compassion and computation.

So next time you hear “AI in dentistry,” don’t roll your eyes—lean in.

And don’t worry- AI will not replace you it will only augment your working

References

1. Ahmed N, Abbasi MS, Zuberi F, Qamar W, Halim MSB, Maqsood A, Alam MK. Artificial Intelligence Techniques: Analysis, Application, and Outcome in Dentistry-A Systematic Review. Biomed Res Int. 2021 Jun 22;2021:9751564. doi: 10.1155/2021/9751564. PMID: 34258283; PMCID: PMC8245240.
2. Gugnani N, Pandit IK, Gupta M, Gugnani S, Kathuria S. Parental concerns about oral health of children: Is ChatGPT helpful in finding appropriate answers? J Indian Soc Pedod Prev Dent. 2024 Apr 1;42(2):104-111. doi: 10.4103/jisppd.jisppd_110_24. Epub 2024 Jun 28. PMID:38957907.
3. Schwendicke F, Samek W, Krois J. Artificial Intelligence in Dentistry: Chances and Challenges. J Dent Res. 2020 Jul;99(7):769-774. doi: 10.1177/0022034520915714. Epub 2020 Apr 21. PMID: 32315260; PMCID: PMC7309354.
4. Overjet – AI for Dental Radiology https://www.overjet.ai
5. VideaHealth – FDA-cleared dental AI tool https://www.videa.ai