Augmenting patient monitoring during intravenous moderate sedation with artificial intelligence: A pilot study

A precordial stethoscope (PS) is essential for ensuring clear breath sounds during open airway sedations. However, a traditional PS limits the ability of new users to simultaneously listen to heart and lung sounds alongside experienced practitioners, hindering their learning and development. Bluetooth speaker systems allow for multiple providers but amplify all noise. An artificial intelligence (AI) PS has the potential to selectively reduce ambient noise, allowing multiple providers to monitor concurrently and provides a visual representation of the sound waves. The study looks at the benefits of AI PS in teaching in the dental setting.

A questionnaire was created to compare the new AI PS to a conventional PS during intravenous moderate sedation in a dental clinic setting.

Sixteen individuals involved in sedations (four dental attendings, seven dental residents, and five dental assistants), were polled with a 100% response rate. 75% of participants agreed that clarity was improved using the AI PS and 81.25% of participants agreed that breath sounds and loudness were improved using the AI PS. 93.75% reported the AI PS was beneficial in allowing attendees to concurrently monitor a sedation case alongside dental residents. 100% of assistants reported that the AI PS benefited from their participation in sedation cases.

As technology advances, it is important that we as providers continue to evolve and consider implementing AI to improve our ability to monitor patients and enhance educational experiences for dental resident trainees.