Perspectives toward AI among dental hygiene students
A study has explored how dental hygiene students perceive and use artificial intelligence in educational settings.
In the study, published in the Journal of Dental Hygiene, researchers asked 120 dental hygiene students to complete a 38-item questionnaire — with the goal of evaluating knowledge, attitudes and practices surrounding AI.
The researchers found that the students, particularly those at more senior levels, were most knowledgeable of machine-learning models as well as the nature and limitations of the technology. A large majority of them acknowledged the ethical issues of using AI and stated that they used the tools for summarizing educational materials rather than for creative purposes. However, the students’ knowledge was weakest in the clinical applications of AI, regulation and data quality. Just one-fifth of the students responded that they felt comfortable using AI to independently assess patients’ oral health.
The researchers hope their study can help inform curriculum planning in dental hygiene education in order to better prepare students for the responsible use of AI tools.
Read more: Journal of Dental Hygiene
The article presented here is intended to inform you about the broader media perspective on dentistry, regardless of its alignment with the ADA's stance. It is important to note that publication of an article does not imply the ADA's endorsement, agreement, or promotion of its content.