AI can spot a cavity, but can it build trust?
Key Takeaways
- AI in dentistry enhances efficiency in X-ray analysis and clinical documentation, but dentists must use professional judgment to ensure accurate patient care.
- AI-powered dental tools improve patient communication by reinforcing treatment instructions, reducing misunderstandings, and boosting patient satisfaction.
- Dental practice automation saves up to eight minutes per patient, allowing more appointments per day and increasing practice revenue.
AI can spot a cavity, but it can’t calm a nervous patient. When it comes to anything remotely unpredictable—like emotions—humans must intervene.
As AI becomes more embedded in clinical tools, dentistry finds itself at a crossroads. X-rays are being analyzed by machines. Routine notes are being drafted by algorithms. But patients aren’t data sets; they are the people sitting in the chair with questions and fears.
We spoke with Dr. Omar Ezz El-Deen, a practicing dentist and R&D lead at dental software company Reporty, about where AI is proving most useful in daily practice, and why it’s the dentist, not the software, who must stay in charge.
AI can’t replace clinical judgment
Dentists are increasingly using AI to analyze X-rays, identify patterns in patient histories, and surface suggestions based on prior cases. However, according to Dr. El-Deen, these tools are only as good as the judgment applied after them.
“AI is a clinical assistant, not a decision-maker,” says Dr. El-Deen. “It can flag overlooked patterns or surface data correlations, but the final call? That’s always on the dentist.”
There have been instances, he notes, where algorithms produced false positives or overlooked key indicators. “Even with solid training data, AI will never replace critical thinking. That’s why our AI-based reporting tool doesn’t diagnose; it drafts. The dentist confirms, edits, and leads the whole process.”
At his company, Reporty, El-Deen helped develop a smart documentation tool that supports clinical work without taking over. It processes images and triages them, but where he draws the line in the sand is accepting outputs blindly. They must be verified by a dentist. This validation stage ensures reliable image analysis, and it reinforces good and bad recommendations, helping the tool learn.
AI shines during patient communication
While AI might not make diagnoses, it’s already making a big impact in the day-to-day challenge of keeping patients informed and on track.
“One of the biggest challenges we see in practices is miscommunication,” says El-Deen. “Patients forget what we’ve said, misunderstand instructions, or leave unsure about their next step.” The issue is an industry-wide one. Almost a third of patients instantly forget information after leaving the surgery.1
To tackle this, Reporty created a patient-facing reporting system that generates clear summaries after each visit. The tool is complete with post-op instructions, FAQs, and even voice notes recorded by the dentist.
“It’s not just about reminders,” El-Deen adds. “It’s about reinforcing the conversation. When patients can revisit what you told them—in writing or audio—it builds trust and helps them stick to the care plan.”
At QuickBlox, we’ve seen similar patterns across dental partners. Practices often report fewer follow-up calls and higher patient satisfaction when they employ AI to summarize information provided during the consultation and answer patient-specific FAQs. “If someone forgets what you said, they may feel like you weren’t thorough,” says El-Deen. “But if they can go home and review everything in their own time, they feel more confident.”
Dentists stay in control with clinically approved workflows
According to a recent study, 81% of dentists have a positive attitude towards AI applications in dentistry, but only 35% implemented them into their practice.2 For dentists who are ready but hesitant about AI, El-Deen recommends starting small: try AI in a nonclinical context, like automating documentation or streamlining patient instructions.
“We asked ourselves: how do we save time without losing control?” he says. “One example is our treatment tracker. Dentists highlight an issue in a digital image, and the AI writes the progress notes based on that trigger. The dentist still reviews everything before it goes to the patient.”
He estimates that using AI-based documentation saves up to eight minutes per patient, allowing dentists to fit three extra appointments per day, without compromising quality.
Still, he’s quick to point out that efficiency isn’t enough. Dentists need to feel confident that their data and their patients’ data are secure.
“We wanted to ensure dentists and patients trust the platform,” he says. “That’s why we validated everything with real user feedback before rolling it out widely.”
Dentists must always check their provider’s standards, too. SDKs and APIs at QuickBlox are built with HIPAA compliance, SOC2 certification, and full data ownership in mind. Practices can deploy on their own servers, control where patient data is stored, and delete records at any time. This layer of control helps reduce the anxiety some clinicians feel when introducing AI into patient-facing systems.
What’s next, and what should never change
Looking ahead, El-Deen sees AI becoming indispensable in background operations—scheduling, follow-ups, reminders, and documentation. But he’s clear about the line he hopes AI never crosses.
“I never want to lose the human connection,” he says. “A machine can’t recognize hesitation in someone’s eyes. It can’t offer empathy. The dentist’s ability to read the room—that’s irreplaceable.”
For now, AI is best viewed as an extra set of hands: helping dentists be more efficient, more consistent, and more available to their patients.
“Start with something simple,” El-Deen advises. “Try automating follow-ups or using AI to draft post-visit summaries. You’ll save time, and your patients will thank you for the clarity.”
AI is here to give dentists time to see more patients, communicate more clearly, and deliver better care. It can share information. Only you can build trust.
About Dr. Omar Ezz El-Deen
Dr. Omar Ezz El-Deen, research and development manager at Reporty (previously Smile with Confidence), holds a bachelor’s degree in oral and dental medicine and has over five years of research experience. As R&D manager at Egypt-based Reporty, he focuses on enhancing dental reporting and documentation through AI, aiming to make processes smarter, faster, and more efficient.
References
- Grybaite A, Awawdeh M, Singh P. Adult orthodontic consultations in private dental practice: How much information do patients remember when they leave the surgery? J Orthod Sci. 2024;13(1):48. doi:10.4103/jos.jos_86_23
- AI in dentistry survey. Dentaly. https://www.dentaly.org/us/research/ai-in-dentistry/
Editor's note: This article originally appeared in DE Weekend, the newsletter that will elevate your Sunday mornings with practical and innovative practice management and clinical content from experts across the field. Subscribe here.
About the Author
Nate MacLeitch, CEO and founder of QuickBlox
Nate is a highly experienced business professional with a diverse background in industries such as telecom, media, software, and technology. He began his career as a trade representative for the State of California in London, and has since held key leadership positions, including head of sales at WIN Plc (now Cisco) and COO at Twistbox Entertainment (now Digital Turbine). Beyond his work experience, Nate is actively involved as an advisor and investor in startups like Whisk.com, Firstday Healthcare, and TechStars. He holds degrees from UC Davis and The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).