In this lecture, Dr Alessandro Devigus guides you through real examples of AI tools in action and shares important advice on how to avoid common pitfalls.
A step-by-step guide to AI in daily practice
Step 1: Diagnosis
Dr Devigus walks through how to use an AI tool (Diagnocat) to analyse radiographs and highlight early caries, bone loss, or other anomalies.
Step 2: Communication
Dr Devigus explains the benefits of AI-generated visuals to assist in patient communication, especially AI-generated colour overlays to make radiographs easier to understand.
“Traditionally, you’d show a patient their X-ray and say something like, 'There’s a shadow here; it might be the start of decay.' But not every patient understands what they’re looking at.”
— Alessandro Devigus
Step 3: Prevention Planning
AI makes it easy to compare current and previous imagery side by side, helping you spot subtle changes before they become bigger issues.
Dr Devigus highlights how this not only improves early diagnosis but also enhances patient communication, as you can clearly show them what is happening and why prevention matters now, not later.
“That’s the real beauty of AI in prevention — it turns invisible risks into visible motivation.”
— Alessandro Devigus
Step 4: Practice Management
Dr Devigus explains how AI analytics can help you identify patterns in appointments, missed recalls, and peak booking times, allowing you to optimise your schedule, reduce no-shows, and get your practice running more efficiently.
Dive deeper into AI tools for dentistry
Dive into a detailed study that compares Diagnocat’s performance with expert human assessment on panoramic radiographs. This research investigates how well the AI tool detects caries, restorations, missing teeth, and bone loss. Learn where it excels, where it falters, and how it might be used as a screening support system.
The findings emphasise both its high sensitivity and its limitations, offering a valuable perspective on when and how to integrate AI into everyday practice.
Dive into a comprehensive, expert-driven overview of how AI is reshaping dentistry globally. This White Paper from the FDI Artificial Intelligence Working Group outlines real-world applications (clinical care, public health, education, research), the risks and limitations to watch out for, as well as the governance strategies to ensure AI works for people, not against them.
Up next: Common AI mistakes to avoid