Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Dental Medicine: A Critical Review

Artificial intelligence (AI), including its subfields of machine learning and deep learning, is a branch of computer science and engineering focused on creating machines capable of tasks requiring human-like intelligence, such as visual perception, decision-making, and natural language processing. AI applications have become increasingly prevalent in dental medicine, generating high expectations as well as raising ethical and practical concerns.

This critical review evaluates the current applications of AI in dentistry, identifying key perspectives, challenges, and limitations in ongoing AI research.

AI models have been applied across various dental specialties, supporting diagnosis, treatment planning, and decision-making, while also reducing the burden of repetitive tasks and optimizing clinical workflows. However, ethical complexities and methodological limitations, such as inconsistent data quality, bias risk, lack of transparency, and limited clinical validation, undermine the quality of AI studies and hinder the effective integration of AI into routine dental practice.

To improve AI research, studies must adhere to standardized methodological and ethical guidelines, particularly in data collection, while ensuring transparency, privacy, and accountability. Developing a comprehensive framework for producing robust, reproducible AI research and clinically validated technologies will facilitate the seamless integration of AI into clinical practice, benefiting both clinicians and patients by improving dental care.