Patients’ Perception of using Robotics and Artificial Intelligence in Dentistry: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction Robotics and Artificial Intelligence (R&AI) are now playing a significant role in influencing the future of dentistry, owing to the fast advancements in technology. The use of AI in dentistry has already begun to enhance patient care and streamline operational efficiency. However, there has been limited research exploring how dental patients perceive the adoption of R&AI. Objective To assess and evaluate the knowledge, concerns, and perceptions of patients agreeing to undergo treatment in its variable forms and procedures under R&AI in order to gain insight into the public understanding of such advanced technologies. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted at the dental teaching hospital of King Abdul Aziz University in Saudi Arabia from July 2023 to December 2023. The subjects were dental patients from an open network and the public community in different segments, with an alternate group of ages. A digital questionnaire from Google Surveys was used. Data was analyzed using IBM SPSS version 23 (IBM Corp., Armonk, N.Y., USA). Results This study evaluated the perceptions of 807 participants about R&AI dental treatment. The majority, 78.3%, n = 632, reported having already encountered the term AI in dentistry; however, they had never encountered any AI-based treatment (91.9%, n = 742) and remained uninterested in seizing the opportunity (52.8%, n = 381). Around one-third of them also perceived strong disagreement with the dental performance of robotics alone (39.2%, n = 316), even if it was offered at a reduced cost compared to normal treatment (30.7%, n = 248). Conclusion The study's findings reveal that patients' perceptions of R&AI-assisted dental procedures remain inconsistent. While the participants show a greater willingness to embrace the use of R&AI in dental operations, their overall level of trust in R&AI is only mediocre. Patients believe it is critical for a dentist to have control over the R&AI application and take full responsibility for dental care.