Artificial Intelligence Chatbots as Virtual Patients in Dental Education: A Constructivist Approach to Classroom...

Area of Science:

• Dental Education
• Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
• Educational Technology

Background:

• Advances in AI, including generative pre-trained transformers (GPTs) and chatbots, offer new avenues for simulating patient interactions in educational settings.
• This pilot study explored the design, implementation, and evaluation of an AI role-play activity based on constructivist learning principles for oral health students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design an AI role-play activity simulating patient consultations and supervisor discussions for dental students.
• To implement this AI activity in a classroom environment.
• To evaluate student engagement, interface usability, and the feasibility of AI chatbots in dental education.

Main Methods:

• Developed a two-chatbot AI role-play system using Streamlit and GPT-4, simulating a patient with pain and a clinical supervisor.
• Recruited second and final-year oral health students for the pilot study.
• Collected data through classroom observations, usability questionnaires, and cost analysis.

Main Results:

• Educator observations indicated AI role-play enhanced peer discussion, identified history-taking gaps, and fostered peer learning.
• Student feedback (n=14) revealed high perceived authenticity (86% agreement with real-world relevance) and satisfaction with the interface.
• The AI chatbot activity was cost-effective, with approximate costs of $13.17 per 20 students for ~20 queries.

Conclusions:

• AI role-play activities are feasible for classroom implementation in dental education, supporting the application of pain history-taking skills.
• The study demonstrated the potential for scalable and authentic learning experiences using AI chatbots.
• Further research is recommended to evaluate the impact of AI role-play on student learning outcomes.