Dental Practitioners’ Perspectives Regarding Artificial Intelligence in Dentistry: A Cross-sectional Survey

Abstract Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) has been designed to simulate human intelligence and tackle diverse challenges across different domains. AI has been integrated into dental devices and has many applications to supplement all branches of dentistry. Thus, this survey aimed to assess the dental practitioners’ perspectives regarding AI in dentistry. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional mixed-mode survey was conducted among 430 dental practitioners in Tamil Nadu. A customized pretested questionnaire comprised 14 questions was administered to assess their knowledge, attitudes, perspectives, and usage of AI-based applications in their clinical practice. Descriptive analysis was done using SPSS software. Results: Out of the 430 practitioners selected for the study, 346 answered the questionnaire completely, yielding a response rate of 80.4%. Most dental practitioners who participated in the survey had a clinical experience of <5 years. Three-fourth of the dental practitioners 266 (76.8%) were acquainted with the concept of AI in dentistry. However, only 80 (23.1%) dental practitioners currently use AI-integrated dental devices. More than one-third of dental practitioners (39%) are in favor of incorporating AI into dental curricula. Less than half of the dental practitioners (41.9%) were willing to use AI in dental practice. More than half of the dental practitioners (60.4%) reported that they would recommend and promote AI. Conclusion: The majority of dental practitioners in Tamil Nadu are acquainted with AI, but its use in dental practice is currently limited. However, there is a positive attitude toward its implementation.