The Influence of AI in Dentistry: The 5 Tools I Would Implement Today As A Practice Owner
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing various sectors, and dentistry is no exception. From enhancing patient interactions to improving diagnostic accuracy and streamlining operational processes, AI is poised to significantly transform the dental field. AI can also alleviate the stress on staff members or potentially reduce the need for certain roles altogether. In an environment where finding reliable team members can be challenging, AI can help mitigate the impact of unexpected staff absences or interpersonal conflicts.
Here are five easy tools I would implement today to harness the power of AI in dentistry:
#1. Dentina.ai
Pros
✅$199/mo with a 30 day free trial
✅Cancel anytime
✅Ease of use
✅Can replace an entry-level staff member
Cons
❎Two way text messaging in the works
❎Outgoing calls also in the works
❎Not great for complex treatment scheduling
Meet Dentina, the snazzy AI-powered dental receptionist that's taking the industry by storm! Born at the dawn of 2024, Dentina is perfect for dental offices fed up with outsourcing calls to call centers or struggling to find the right front office staff.
I took Dentina for a spin with a demo call, where a new patient tried to book a cleaning. Let me tell you, Dentina nailed it! It asked all the right questions about insurance, offered the first available slot, and sounded as friendly as your favorite barista. Plus, after every call, Dentina sends an email report that includes a summary, a written transcript, and the call recording. How cool is that?
Getting started with Dentina is a breeze: just fill out a couple of forms and hop on a one-hour onboarding call to customize everything to your liking. But heads up, Dentina will need access to your server to sync with your practice management software for seamless scheduling.
Right now, Dentina's texting game is pretty straightforward—appointment confirmations, office notifications for complex treatments, and texts if a call drops. But they’re cooking up some exciting updates, like two-way conversational texts and outgoing calls for recalls and post-op check-ins.
In the past, we used call centers to catch after-hours calls or when the phone rang too many times. The issues? Quality control, high costs for scheduling, and mistakes with our Open Dental software. With Dentina, those worries are history. I’d let Dentina handle all calls, day and night. Most calls can go straight to Dentina, with treatment scheduling calls rerouted to the treatment coordinator. No more need for a dedicated scheduler! And with Dentina able to juggle 1,000 calls at once, you'll never miss a call or leave a patient hanging on hold.
#2. Pearl AI
Pros
✅$349/mo but discounts for annual contract
✅Cancel anytime
✅Ease of use
✅Coolness factor
✅Increase treatment acceptance
Cons
❎$500 onboarding fee
❎Doesn’t recommend treatment
❎Doesn’t work with CBCTs or panos…yet
Pearl is your new AI buddy for dental x-rays that’s been shaking up the dental world for about five years. They scored FDA approval in 2022 and are now trusted by 5,000 dental offices in the US alone. Yup, they're global!
Getting started with Pearl is a piece of cake. Just grant them server access and let them work their magic. Your office will take x-rays as usual, which automatically upload to their HIPAA-compliant, web-based platform. This is where the magic happens. Pearl’s AI is trained to give you color-coded, can't-miss-it detections of cavities, calculus, bone levels, and radiolucencies. Plus, you get quantitative values next to bone levels and cavities, making diagnoses a breeze.
Pearl is perfect for new associates or hygienists who might need a confidence boost with diagnoses, or for busy dentists who might miss those tiny specks of calculus. And here's the kicker—you can send x-rays with AI detections directly to insurance. Take that, insurance companies!
At $349 a month, Pearl quickly pays for itself with the increase in diagnosis accuracy and case acceptance. Sure, it would be awesome if it also factored in the patient's medical and dental history for a full treatment plan. But hey, a dentist can dream, right? And by the end of the year, they’re aiming to support panos and CBCTs, which would be super cool.
So, if you're ready to add some sparkle to your diagnostic process, Pearl's got your back!
#3. Ordo
Pros
✅$99/mo
✅Cancel anytime
✅Super easy to use
✅Saves time and money
✅Order both dental and front office supplies
Cons
❎Doesn't have some of the smaller vendors yet
❎Multi-office analytics coming soon
Meet Ordo, the AI-driven ordering and inventory platform that's here to revolutionize the way dental offices manage supplies. Currently in its beta phase, Ordo is gearing up for a full launch in the coming months, and it’s already making waves.
Ordo connects with your existing vendors like Henry Schein, Darby, Net32, and more, to price compare the supplies you need. The coolest part? Ordo’s AI learns your ordering preferences and helps you switch to generic alternatives where possible, saving you from accidentally splurging on brand-name items when cheaper, just-as-good options are available.
But wait, there's more! Ordo offers real-time budget tracking, custom budgets, and order approvals if needed. Keep your inventory organized with custom categories, upload images, or even create nicknames for items for easy reordering.
Onboarding is a breeze: link your current vendors, set your budget, and invite team members. And guess what? No onboarding fees! If you use Open Dental, you can sync your account to automatically pull budgeting numbers and scan your schedule for upcoming procedures, reminding you to order what you’ll need. This nifty budgeting and forecasting feature will soon be available for more practice management software.
What really takes the cake is their chatbot, Ask Gordo. Simply text Gordo what you want to order, and it will find the best prices and compile your cart in seconds. For those with multiple offices, you can create accounts for each location and toggle between them. While an overall analytics view for multiple offices is still in the works, it’s coming next year.
More vendors are being added regularly, but honestly, some of the smaller vendors that I would use didn’t actually end up being cheaper. So sticking with the big names like Henry Schein and Darby often nets the best savings. You can keep your current buying group discounts, and Ordo also offers its own discounted prices from select vendors to help you save even more.
So, if you're ready to streamline your supply ordering process and save a ton of money, give Ordo a try. It’s like having a personal shopping assistant for your dental office!
#4. ChatGPT
Pros
✅Free
✅Easy to use
✅Saves time
Cons
❎Have to learn some of the prompts
❎Need to review for accuracy
So, ChatGPT has been an absolute game-changer for running a dental office! Whether you need to draft patient dismissal letters or whip up a social media content calendar, ChatGPT is your go-to tool at every level. It truly shines on the marketing front, creating blog posts (not this one lol), crafting catchy captions for Facebook and Instagram, and even brainstorming content ideas. If you've got someone on your team who’s somewhat savvy with social media, ChatGPT can turn them into a social media guru in no time!
Need post-op instructions written? ChatGPT's got your back. Need to draft an appeal to insurance for a crown denial? ChatGPT can handle that too. Does your hygienist need a script to discuss the benefits of fluoride with patients? ChatGPT can whip that up in a jiffy.
And that’s just scratching the surface. If you’re not leveraging ChatGPT in some way, you’re seriously missing out. Give it a try and watch your efficiency soar!
#5. Any Text to Video AI Generator
(Visla visla.us or Deepbrain deepbrain.io or Elai elai.io)
Pros
✅Not expensive
✅Easy to use
✅Could increase case acceptance
✅Could decrease patient post-op concerns
Cons
❎A bit of a learning curve
❎Need to review for accuracy
Imagine having a magic wand that turns any text you write into a snazzy video! This tool does exactly that, and it's a game-changer for two main areas: post-op instructions and case acceptance.
First, let's talk post-op instructions. In our office, we’d go over these instructions after each procedure while the patient was still in the chair. Our patient engagement software would also send them a digital copy to reference at home. But with this text-to-video generator, you can transform those written instructions into engaging videos! This is a fantastic way for patients to better understand their post-op care, which means fewer after-hours calls. Some of these generators even allow for custom avatars and can translate the instructions into different languages!
Next up, case acceptance. Ever had a patient leave without scheduling a recommended treatment? Maybe you spent a lot of time explaining, or perhaps you were rushed and couldn’t go into detail. Either way, imagine being able to send them a video the next day that reviews their treatment plan, highlights the importance of moving forward, and more. Since it's all written out already, you know the video won't miss any crucial details. Plus, you can use this tool to follow up with all patients who haven't scheduled their crowns in the past year or for a mass marketing ortho promotion. Videos are definitely the way of the future, especially when inboxes are bombarded with text emails. A personalized video from your dentist? Now that's something I'd stop to watch!
So, why not bring your instructions and recommendations to life with video? It's a modern twist that’s bound to make a big impact!
By adopting these five AI tools, dental practices can significantly improve efficiency, reduce stress, and provide a higher level of care to patients. And this is just the beginning! The integration of AI into dental practices is set to revolutionize the industry, making tasks easier, quicker, and more accurate. As technology continues to advance, the possibilities are endless, and the benefits for both dental professionals and patients will only continue to grow. So, why wait? Start exploring these AI tools today and take your practice to the next level!
