Introducing AI Into My Dental Practices: A DMO's Case Study

In my role as the acquirer, owner and operator of a dental management organization (DMO) overseeing multiple dental facilities and practices across the New York area, I've explored and experimented with the use of AI in patient care over the past few months. The results have been surprising. Historically, our practices relied heavily on the rich experience of our dentists and specialists to make treatment decisions. However, the integration of AI into our operations has changed our approach, offering a blend of data-driven insights and clinical expertise that has enhanced patient care and operational efficiency.

The integration of AI at the point of care has been great learning for us. With AI's capability to analyze extensive datasets, our dentists can now make more informed treatment decisions right when the patient is in the dental chair. This advancement has led to improved patient outcomes and increased profitability across our practices by facilitating precise, timely treatments that boost case acceptance rates and reduce patient costs.

One of the most significant challenges we faced as a DMO was maintaining uniform quality and operational standards across our various locations. AI provided a scalable solution to this problem, offering tools that not only improve clinical precision but also open up new avenues for growth. These AI tools go beyond administrative tasks to enhance clinical outcomes and operational efficiency, allowing us to achieve a level of consistency and quality that was previously unattainable.

Moreover, the integration of AI tools has enhanced our diagnostic capabilities, particularly with x-ray scans. Our AI tools are equipped with functionalities for detecting carious lesions and measuring radiographic bone levels (RBL), seamlessly fitting into our dentists' workflow. As images are opened within a patient's chart, the AI analyzes them in real-time and displays the results within seconds. This capability enables our dentists to quickly confirm diagnoses and effectively communicate treatment plans to patients, improving understanding and engagement.

This immediate feedback has led to better case acceptance, personalized care, and overall enhanced patient outcomes. Our practices have experienced a notable increase in efficiency and accuracy in diagnoses, fostering a higher level of trust between dentists and patients and promoting a more patient-centered approach to dental care.

Periodontal disease can be a difficult diagnosis for some patients to accept. In the early stages of the disease, my dentists informed me that they noticed our patients may not experience much pain or any noticeable symptoms. For dentists, determining the amount of bone loss is an important step in diagnosing Periodontal disease, but severity can be tricky to define since the interpretation of the severity depends on a provider’s reading of a patient’s X-rays. Our use of AI tools now measures and analyzes the bone level from the cementoenamel junction to the alveolar bone in patients’ bitewings and Periapical Radiographs (PAs). Measurements are in millimeters and the percentage of bone loss is annotated on the X-ray in green, yellow, orange, or red. These annotations make it easier for our Dentists to visually communicate the key indicators of periodontal disease and to discuss potential treatment.

The broader impact of AI on dentistry is undeniable, covering every aspect of practice from clinical diagnostics to office management. This automation has allowed our dental professionals to concentrate more on direct patient care rather than routine tasks, positioning AI not just as a convenience but as a necessity for staying competitive. We anticipate that within the next decade, AI technologies will become standard in dental offices for a wide range of applications, including claim processing and predictive analytics.

The journey toward integrating AI into our dental practices has been both challenging and rewarding, marking a significant step towards the future of dental care where medical and dental care integration enhances overall patient health. By leveraging AI, we've not only advanced our practices but also contributed to the broader goal of improving healthcare outcomes, addressing oral health disparities, and supporting populations with unmet oral health needs.

Our experience with AI in dentistry has been a surprising one, providing a clearer path to more efficient, precise, and personalized patient care than I had imagined. As we continue to explore and integrate AI technologies, we remain committed to enhancing the quality of care provided to our patients and improving the working environment for our professionals, ensuring that our practices not only meet but exceed the expectations of the communities we serve.