Attitudes Toward Artificial Intelligence Among Polish Dentists: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being integrated into modern dental practice, particularly in diagnostics, radiographic analysis, treatment planning, and practice management. Despite the rapid advancement of AI-based technologies, evidence regarding dentists' attitudes toward AI in Central and Eastern Europe remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate Polish dentists' attitudes toward artificial intelligence in contemporary dental practice and to investigate differences in AI acceptance according to sex, age group, and dental specialty. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional online questionnaire-based study was conducted among licensed dentists practicing in Poland. An anonymous questionnaire comprising 15 attitude statements rated on a five-point Likert scale was distributed through professional social media groups. The survey assessed attitudes toward the use of AI in clinical, diagnostic, and administrative aspects of dentistry. Statistical analyses were performed using Statistica 16.0. Group comparisons were conducted using the Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis test with Benjamini-Hochberg false discovery rate correction. Internal consistency of the questionnaire was assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Results: A total of 183 completed questionnaires were included in the analysis. The internal consistency of the questionnaire was high (Cronbach's α = 0.900). The overall acceptance of AI was moderate (mean score: 3.18 ± 0.73). The highest levels of agreement were observed for the perceived potential of AI to improve dental practice management (mean = 4.05) and for general openness toward AI implementation in dentistry (mean = 4.05). Respondents also expressed a high willingness to use AI for generating clinical documentation (mean = 3.69). In contrast, the lowest acceptance was observed for statements suggesting that AI could replace dentists (mean: 1.36). Within the study sample, men demonstrated significantly higher overall AI acceptance than women (p < 0.001). Significant differences were also observed between age groups and dental specialties. Orthodontists demonstrated the highest AI acceptance among the surveyed specialties; however, these findings should be interpreted as exploratory because of unequal subgroup sizes. After FDR correction, significant differences between age groups remained only for selected questionnaire items. Conclusions: Within the limitations of this convenience sample, the findings suggest that Polish dentists generally perceive artificial intelligence as a supportive tool rather than a replacement for clinicians. Acceptance was greatest for administrative and organizational applications of AI, whereas autonomous clinical decision-making received substantially lower support. These findings suggest that the successful implementation of AI in dentistry should prioritize assistive technologies that enhance clinical workflows while preserving the central role of the dentist in patient care.