Diagnostic competence of senior dental students in detecting caries on panoramic radiographs with and without artificial intelligence assistance: a cross-sectional studycaries detection on panoramic radiographs

Panoramic radiographs alone provide limited accuracy for detecting early or shallow proximal caries, but diagnostic performance improves with educational level. The incorporation of AI-assisted diagnostic tools into undergraduate dental curricula may enhance students' interpretative accuracy, strengthen clinical decision-making, and support early caries detection. Future studies should develop and evaluate standardized AI-integrated educational modules to optimize diagnostic proficiency in dental training.