AI-Powered Diagnostics in Dental Practice: A Guide for Fellow Clinicians

Published on February 14, 20269 min read

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AI in Dental Diagnostics: Where Do We Really Stand?

The dental community increasingly discusses AI-assisted diagnostics with considerable debate. The gap between marketing hype and substantiated evidence is significant. This article is directed specifically at colleagues seeking an evidence-based assessment of current capabilities and limitations.

As a dentist specializing in digital restorative dentistry who is planning to establish a practice at WiloHealthCube in Dortmund from the ground up with AI integration, I want to share the insights I've gathered while evaluating and selecting appropriate systems.

The Evidence: What Do Studies Tell Us?

Caries Detection

The most promising evidence base exists for AI-assisted caries detection on bitewings and panoramic radiographs.

Approximal caries on bitewing radiographs: A systematic review by Cantu et al. (Journal of Dental Research, 2020) analyzed the performance of a deep learning system on 3,686 teeth. The system achieved 75% sensitivity with 93% specificity for approximal caries detection. For comparison: the mean sensitivity of experienced dentists in the Schwendicke et al. meta-analysis (2015) was 40 to 70% for the same indication.

Occlusal caries: The evidence here is more nuanced. Lee et al. (Scientific Reports, 2018) reported 80 to 93% sensitivity depending on caries stage, with predictably lower performance on initial enamel lesions compared to manifest dentin involvement.

Clinical relevance: The strength of AI lies less in absolute detection rates than in interaction with clinical findings. AI functions as a screening tool directing attention to potentially significant areas. The actual diagnostic decision remains with the clinician, but is supported by directed attention.

Periapical Diagnostics

Multiple studies provide consistent results for detection of periapical lesions on CBCT imaging:

Setzer et al. (Journal of Endodontics, 2020) evaluated a CNN-based system on CBCT datasets and reported 92% sensitivity with 95% specificity. Orhan et al. (Dentomaxillofacial Radiology, 2020) confirmed comparable values.

Particularly relevant for endodontic colleagues: AI demonstrates its strength in detecting small periapical radiolucencies that are masked by superimposition in conventional 2D projections. On CBCT with AI support, the rate of missed findings drops significantly.

Periodontal Diagnostics

AI-assisted periodontitis diagnosis is developing dynamically. Current systems can:

Quantify bone loss: Algorithms automatically measure the distance between the cemento-enamel junction and alveolar crest, generating tooth-specific or area-based severity mapping. Chang et al. (Journal of Dental Research, 2020) demonstrated that AI-based measurement of marginal bone loss correlates with manual measurement by experienced periodontists within a deviation of 0.2 to 0.5 mm.

Support staging and grading: Early systems attempt automated staging based on radiographic findings according to current EFP/AAP classification (2018). Evidence here remains limited, though the EFP rated development as promising in its 2024 consensus document.

Regulatory Framework in Germany and the EU

MDR and CE Marking

AI-assisted diagnostic software falls under the EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR 2017/745) and must be certified as a medical device of Class IIa or IIb depending on risk classification. In practice: only CE-marked systems may be used clinically.

EU AI Act

The EU Regulation on Artificial Intelligence (AI Act), in force since August 2024, classifies healthcare AI systems as high-risk applications. Obligations relevant for practice owners include:

Risk management: Documentation of risks and countermeasures when using the AI system.
Data quality: Ensuring training data is representative and unbiased (manufacturer responsibility, but operator due diligence required).
Transparency: Patients must be informed that AI is used in diagnostics.
Human oversight: AI findings must not enter treatment planning without clinical verification.

KBV Guidance 2025

Germany's Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV) published practical guidance on AI use in medical practices in 2025, relevant for dental practices. Key points:

AI systems are tools, not autonomous decision-makers.
Physician final responsibility for diagnosis and treatment remains unchanged.
Documentation obligations include AI use in the diagnostic process.
GDPR compliance is mandatory, particularly for cloud-based solutions.

Practical Integration: Lessons Learned

Hardware Prerequisites

Most commercial dental AI systems are designed as cloud-based SaaS solutions. This means: images are transferred to the provider's server, analyzed there, and results returned. Latency typically ranges from 2 to 15 seconds per image.

For practices with data privacy concerns or high patient volume, increasingly on-premise solutions are available that run on local hardware. These typically require a GPU-accelerated workstation (NVIDIA RTX class or comparable) but offer the advantage that patient data never leaves the practice.

Workflow Integration

The biggest stumbling block during implementation is not the technology itself, but integration into existing workflows. My recommendations from the planning phase:

Verify DICOM compatibility: The AI system must communicate seamlessly with your X-ray system and practice management software (PMS). DICOM export and import should function without manual intermediate steps.

Define diagnostics workflow: Establish where in the treatment sequence AI analysis occurs. For us: automatically after every X-ray exposure, with results ready before patient consultation.

Train the team: AI findings must be correctly interpreted. False-positive findings (artifacts, superimpositions) must be recognized and contextualized. Regular team calibration sessions are recommended.

Standardize documentation: Record in the patient file that AI-assisted diagnostics was used and how findings influenced treatment planning.

Cost-Benefit Analysis

Current pricing models vary considerably:

SaaS models: Typically €200 to €600 monthly, depending on scope and image volume. Some providers charge per analysis (€2-5 per image).

On-premise licenses: One-time €5,000 to €20,000 plus annual maintenance.

ROI considerations: Direct financial return is difficult to quantify. Benefits lie primarily in quality assurance (fewer missed findings), efficiency (faster analysis of CBCT datasets with hundreds of slices), and patient communication (visually formatted findings facilitate education and increase acceptance of recommended treatment).

Indirect economic benefit emerges through early detection: an identified approximal caries at initial stages, manageable conservatively or through remineralization, costs the patient and practice far less than an overlooked caries requiring later endodontic treatment or restoration.

Potential Pitfalls

Overdiagnosis

A frequently underestimated risk is overdiagnosis through increased sensitivity. If AI regularly flags findings clinically irrelevant, the risk is either blind trust in AI (with unnecessary treatment) or dismissal of warnings (alert fatigue).

The solution: threshold calibration coordinated with clinical findings. Not every AI-marked finding requires therapy. Clinical correlation remains decisive.

Liability Questions

Current legal frameworks remain incompletely clarified. Fundamentally: medical liability remains with the clinician, regardless of AI use. An AI system neither relieves nor increases liability—it is a diagnostic aid. Documentation of AI use is recommended to demonstrate all available diagnostic means were employed.

Bias and Training Data

AI systems are only as good as their training data. If a model was primarily trained on European populations, performance may differ for patients of other ethnic backgrounds (e.g., different tooth morphology, bone density). When selecting systems, examine the diversity and size of the provider's training dataset.

Outlook: Where Is the Field Heading?

The next generation of dental AI will likely bring:

Multimodal analysis: Integration of radiographic images, digital scans, intraoral photos, and clinical data in a single AI model providing more comprehensive findings than radiological analysis alone.

Longitudinal analysis: AI systems comparing findings over multiple timepoints and quantifying progression rates. Particularly valuable for periodontal therapy and caries monitoring.

Treatment planning: Early research explores AI-based treatment planning suggestions, such as optimal implant positioning or endodontic prognosis. Clinical maturity hasn't been achieved, but the direction is clear.

Federated learning: Training approaches where models learn locally within practices without patient data leaving the local server. This could address data privacy concerns with cloud-based systems.

My Personal Conclusion

After intensive engagement with evidence and numerous product evaluations, I'm convinced: AI-assisted diagnostics is not hype, but a clinically sensible tool when correctly deployed.

The key lies not in the technology itself, but in clinicians' competence to contextualize it. An AI system doesn't replace good diagnosticians—it makes them better. And it addresses a gap documented in the literature for decades: the limited sensitivity of purely visual interpretation.

For colleagues considering integration, I recommend: Start with a clearly defined use case (e.g., approximal caries screening on bitewings), evaluate systematically, and document your experiences.

I plan to offer regular continuing education courses on integrating AI into dental workflows beginning with our practice opening. I'd welcome hearing from you if interested.

FAQ

Q: Will AI replace the need for dentists to interpret radiographs? A: No. AI is a diagnostic aid that enhances human judgment. The clinician's expertise, clinical assessment, and decision-making remain irreplaceable.

Q: Is patient consent required before using AI diagnostics? A: Yes. The AI Act and medical ethics require informing patients that AI assists in diagnosis. This should be documented in the file.

Q: How accurate is AI compared to human radiologists? A: For specific tasks like caries detection and periapical pathology, modern AI matches or exceeds average human performance. However, variation among individual practitioners is significant.

Q: What happens if AI misses something? A: Your clinical and radiographic assessment remains the standard of care. AI complements—but doesn't replace—your professional judgment.

Q: Are cloud-based systems compliant with GDPR? A: Only if the provider meets all DSGVO requirements, including data processing agreements. Verify this with vendors before implementation.