Very Clinical: Charlie Fryer on the AI in Dentistry Hype Machine

In this throwback episode of Very Clinical, Zach and Kevin welcome back Charlie Fryer to talk about AI in dentistry. Charlie recently finished a master's thesis about class II caries and AI so he can see applications in dentistry from the perspective of a computer scientist.

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AI's Current Role in the Dental Industry

The guys discuss existing and potential applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in dentistry, acknowledging that the future of the profession will be heavily influenced by this technology.

• Invisalign/Aligners: Kevin notes that companies like Align Technology (Invisalign) are essentially data companies that leverage millions of intraoral scans from iTero to perfect tooth-movement algorithms and quickly generate treatment plans. He suspects much of the initial clin-check setup is AI-driven, with human checks afterward.

• Design & Manufacturing: AI is already used for the automated design and quick file return for appliances like night guards by companies like SprintRay, as well as for crown design in some printing workflows.

• Radiographic Diagnosis: The hosts discuss companies that use AI to read and assist in diagnosing findings on X-rays. A key discussion point is how these companies, like DSOs (Dental Service Organizations) such as Heartland or Aspen, acquire the vast amounts of patient data needed to train their models. The hosts posit that users become the "product," providing data with every image analyzed.

Future AI Applications and Benefits

The conversation shifts to more future-facing applications and the overall impact of AI on dental practice.

• Net Positive Impact: Zach and Kevin agree that AI will be a net positive for dentistry, primarily as an aid rather than a replacement for clinical judgment, drawing an analogy to how a GPS system advises a driver but the driver still makes the final decisions.

• Combining Data Sets: Charlie suggests combining various patient data, such as cone beam CTs, intraoral scans, and radiographic images, to develop next-generation tools for complex procedures like implant placement guidance.

• Practice Optimization: A major area for AI development is practice management. They discuss using machine learning to:

  • Optimize scheduling based on patient history (recurrent neural networks) and procedure mix to maximize profitability and account for unexpected needs.

  • Forecast inventory needs to ensure the practice is always adequately stocked.

• Financial and Marketing Tools:

  • Patient Financing: Kevin highlights Sun Bit, a payment program that uses an AI component to quickly determine a patient's payment risk and rate by analyzing non-traditional data like utility payments instead of a full credit report.

  • Marketing: AI is already effective in predicting click-through rates for online advertisements, which could be leveraged by dental practices.

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