Artificial intelligence in dentistry: Current applications and future perspectives

Artificial intelligence (Al) encompasses a broad spectrum of emerging technologies that continue to influence daily life.The evolution of Al makes the analysis of big data possible, which provides reliable information and improves the decision-making process. This article introduces the principles of Al and reviews the development of Al and how it is currently being used. Al technology has influenced the health care field because of the need for accurate diagnosis and superior patient care. In order to understand the trend of Al in dentistry, electronic searching was carried out, combined with approaching individual companies to obtain the details of Al-based services. The current applications of Al in clinical dentistry were introduced and summarized. In the future, the Al-based comprehensive care system is expected to establish high-quality patient care and innovative research and development, facilitating advanced decision support tools. The authors believe that an innovative in-ter-professional coordination among clinicians, researchers, and engineers will be the key to Al development in the field of dentistry. Despite the potential misinterpretations and the concern of patient privacy, Al will continue to connect with dentistry from a comprehensive perspective due to the need for precise treatment procedures and instant information exchange. Moreover, such developments will enable professionals to share health-related big data and deliver insights that improve patient care through hospitals, providers, researchers, and patients.