Artificial intelligence and smile design: An e-Delphi consensus statement of ethical challenges.

Area of Science:

• Dental Technology
• Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
• Bioethics

Background:

• Smile design software increasingly incorporates artificial intelligence (AI).
• The integration of AI in smile design presents significant technical and ethical challenges.
• Evaluating these ethical concerns is crucial for responsible AI implementation in dentistry.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the ethical issues associated with using AI in smile design.
• To establish a consensus on ethical principles for AI in smile design among international experts.

Main Methods:

• An international consortium of experts in AI, dentistry, and smile design was assembled.
• An e-Delphi protocol was employed to achieve consensus on AI ethical principles.
• Ethical principles assessed included wellness, autonomy, privacy, solidarity, governance, equity, diversity, prudence, accountability, sustainability, and transparency.

Main Results:

• Initial consensus was reached on seven ethical principles: diversity, transparency, wellness, privacy, prudence, governance, and sustainability.
• Four principles (equity, accountability, solidarity, autonomy) required reformulation after the first round.
• Full agreement on all eleven ethical principles for AI in smile design was achieved after the second round.

Conclusions:

• AI development and deployment in smile design must adhere to a comprehensive set of ethical principles.
• These principles encompass wellness, autonomy, privacy, solidarity, governance, equity, diversity, prudence, accountability, sustainability, and transparency.
• Adherence to these ethical standards is vital for the responsible advancement of AI in cosmetic dentistry.