Investigation of Dental Students’ Knowledge Levels on Artificial Intelligence

Objective: The present study was conducted to investigate the knowledge of dental students about artificial intelligence (AI) in dental healthcare.Methods: This study utilized a descriptive online survey, where respondents completed a Survey Monkey® questionnaire that evaluated their perceptions and opinions regarding the integration of AI in dentistry. The survey questionnaire included 20 questions designed to assess participants' demographic characteristics and their comprehension of AI. In statistical analyses, rates between groups were compared using the chi-square test.Results: The study involved a total of 226 student participants, with 31.4% (71) being first-year students, 15.5% (35) second-year, 23.5% (53) third-year, 11.1% (25) fourth-year, and 18.6% (42) fifth-year students. The average age of the participants was 20.86±3.40, and 66.4% were female. 97.3% of participants (220) had prior knowledge of AI, while just 68.1% (154) reported no concerns regarding AI. While 58.4% of students (132) reported having no knowledge of AI applications in dentistry, an overwhelming 92.5% (209) indicated a willingness to integrate AI into their future practice. Less than half of the participants said they were informed about AI, while 90.7% thought it should be included in the curriculum. There was statistically significant difference in knowldge level of the use of AI in dentistry between the fourth and fifth grades compared to the first grades (P<.05).Conclusion: This study concluded that students' knowledge about AI was insufficient and revealed that upper-grade students had more knowledge about the areas of AI usage in dentistry compared to lower-grades.Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Awareness, Computer-Assisted Diagnosis, Deep Learning, Dental School