AI (Artificial Intelligence) and Dentistry. By: Dr. Nishita Ondhia

The RCDSO (Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario) is our dental regulatory body that acts in the public interest by putting patients first.  As a member in good standing, one must complete a certain amount of continuing education.  In the recent past, the RCDSO has mandated some of this continuing education must be in fundamental quality assurance, category 1.

This past week, I attended the most incredible category 1 lecture, “Understanding AI in dentistry:  Foundations, Benefits and Ethical Implications” was on the schedule for the morning; the afternoon was “Practical AI Applications in Dentistry: Integration, Challenges and Risk Mitigation”.  A wealth of information was delivered.  WOW!

The talk was given by Dr. Peter Fritz, a dentist specializing in periodontics, Ph.D in molecular biology, a lawyer, MBA graduate and a humanitarian.  He is pioneering frameworks for AI integration that are reshaping patient care across North America.  His multidisciplinary expertise positions him as a trailblazer in the field of Artificial Intelligence andEmerging Digital Technology.

Key points:

• AI is here and it is here to stay
• AI is incredibly powerful
• It wants to engage
• Our prompt is its leadership, we need to prompt correctly
• As humans we have an obligation to learn to use it well in order to enhance our knowledge base
• AI guides, calculates and suggests HOWEVER AS HUMANS we decide, connect and define care
• For every minute and every dollar we invest in AI, we must invest the same in exploring our minds
• It is always right, even when it is wrong
• Be careful with the results, we sill need to be the experts to understand when it is incorrect
• Using AI has unideal environmental impacts and we must use it intentionally

I am technically and digitally challenged.  This lecture encouraged me to do my best to continue learning how to navigate myself in our current information-digital age in order to provide the best for my patients and to protect them as well.  We do not have a choice, we must be accountable for our actions now as it will shape our future.

-Dr. Nishita Ondhia