Artificial intelligence is rapidly moving from theory into everyday dental practice, but where does its greatest value lie and where should clinicians be cautious? These questions formed the basis of a lively discussion at Dentistry Show Birmingham, where Tif Qureshi, Victoria Holden, Douglas Watt and Rachel Derby explored how AI, digital workflows and health-focused care are reshaping the profession. 

A recurring theme throughout the session was that AI should be viewed as an assistant rather than a replacement for professional judgement. While the technology is increasingly capable of transcribing conversations, generating clinical notes and supporting diagnostics, the panel stressed that clinicians remain responsible for the final decisions made. 

One of the most immediate applications of AI in dentistry is clinical note-taking. AI-powered transcription tools are helping practices capture patient conversations more accurately, but the panel agreed that human oversight remains essential. 

Douglas Watt highlighted that different AI models perform very differently depending on their training. Dental-specific and medically trained models are generally better at recognising clinical terminology and reducing inaccuracies, but even the most sophisticated systems can make mistakes. 

"The real risk is clinician complacency," he warned. "If practitioners stop checking AI-generated outputs, problems can arise." 

Victoria Holden noted that while AI can streamline documentation, it is not necessarily delivering major time savings yet. Clinicians still need to carefully review and edit records before they can be relied upon clinically or legally. 

Patient confidentiality was another key consideration. The panel stressed that clinicians must understand where data is stored, how it is processed and whether it is being used to train AI models. Importantly, patients should also be informed if AI-powered tools are being used to record or transcribe consultations and given the opportunity to consent to this process. 

The discussion also explored how AI is changing patient behaviour. Today's patients have unprecedented access to information and increasingly arrive at appointments armed with research, questions and AI-generated interpretations of their symptoms or treatment options. While this can lead to more informed conversations, it also presents new challenges for clinicians who must help patients navigate information of varying quality and accuracy. 

In some cases, patients are even using AI to analyse treatment plans and draft complaints or correspondence. As Watt observed, the profession is beginning to see an emerging "AI versus AI" dynamic, with practitioners using similar technologies to help formulate responses and communicate complex clinical information more clearly. 

Despite rapid advances in diagnostic software, digital scanning and treatment planning, the panel repeatedly returned to one central message: AI can identify patterns, flag anomalies and assist with administrative tasks, but it cannot replace professional judgement. Human expertise, critical thinking and clinical accountability remain fundamental to safe and effective patient care. 

Join us later this year for more sessions like this. Register your interest for the Dentistry Show London  2026 across 9-10 October at Excel London.