Artificial Intelligence for Oral Health Care: Applications and Future Prospects

Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping diagnostics, treatment planning, and patient care across diverse disciplines. Dentistry is now at the forefront of this innovation, with AI's ability to process complex data to improve clinical practice, empower patients, and address public health challenges.

This richly illustrated book offers a deeper understanding of the foundational concepts of AI, its practical applications in oral health, and the possibilities that lie ahead. From oral pathology to maxillofacial surgery, prosthodontics to orthodontics, and endodontics to dental education, it presents compelling, evidence-based insights into how AI is changing the landscape of dentistry.

Beyond its clinical potential, the book tackles the key risks and challenges associated with AI implementation. It provides a thoughtful roadmap for addressing ethical considerations, encouraging transparency, and developing solutions that prioritize both innovation and patient well-being.

Written for dental professionals and an interdisciplinary audience, including educators, researchers, policymakers, and the public, this book serves as both a guide and a call to action for responsibly embracing AI's transformative power.

Whether you are a seasoned practitioner, an academic, or simply curious about the intersection of AI and healthcare, this book will inspire and inform your journey into the future of dentistry.

Falk Schwendicke Professor and Director of the Clinic for Conservative Dentistry and Periodontology at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) in Munich. Prof. Schwendicke’s research focuses on dental diagnostics and artificial intelligence, restorative and preventive dentistry, health economics, health services research and public health. He has (co-)authored over 600 articles, 300 abstracts and 30 book chapters. Prof. Schwendicke has received a number of prestigious awards and is a reviewer for over 40 journals, as well as for various national funding organizations. He is Associate Editor of the Journal of Dental Research and heads working groups at the World Health Organization WHO, the World Dental Organization FDI, and the International Standards Organization ISO. Prof. Schwendicke holds honorary professorships at the Universities of Aarhus (Denmark) and Chennai (India). He has been one of the most cited researchers in dentistry worldwide for many years (Stanford ranking <1%).

Prabhat Kumar Chaudhari

Dr. Prabhat Kumar Chaudhari [MDS, FAMS, FDS RCPS (Glasg)] is currently working as an Additional Professor at the Division of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Deformities within the Centre for Dental Education and Research at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi, India.

A graduate of King George Medical University (2007) and specialist in Orthodontics from Aligarh Muslim University (2011), Dr. Chaudhari integrates cutting edge digital technologies, such as 3D imaging, computer-aided designing, additive manufacturing, and artificial intelligence, into orthodontic care for children with and without cleft lip and palate. An accomplished researcher and author, Dr. Chaudhari has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and contributed to book chapters and other scholarly works. At AIIMS, he is deeply involved in education and training, leading programs such as the Cleft and Craniofacial Orthodontic Fellowship, and the Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) in Orthodontics.

Dr. Chaudhari's professional affiliations further underscore his expertise and dedication to advancing the field of Dentistry. He is a Fellow of the Faculty of Dental Surgery, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, and the National Academy of Medical Sciences (India). Additionally, he is a Member of the topic group “Dental Diagnostics and Digital Dentistry” (TG-Dental) as part of the International Telecommunication Union and World Health Organization (ITU/WHO) Focus Group on Artificial Intelligence for Health (FG-AI4H) and the National Academy of Sciences, India (NASI). He also serves as Associate Editor for the Digital Dentistry section of BMC Oral Health.

Kunaal Dhingra

Dr. Kunaal Dhingra is Additional Professor at Periodontology, Centre for Dental Education and Research, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India. He is Fellow FDS RCS (Eng) of Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. Dr. Dhingra is the International Dental Ambassador for Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. He is Diplomate of International Congress of Oral Implantologists, Fellow of World Academy of Ultrasonic Piezoelectric Bone Surgery, Fellow of American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, Fellow of Royal Society of Biology, Fellow of Pierre Fauchard Academy, and Member of National Academy of Medical Sciences. He is a Member of the topic group “Dental Diagnostics and Digital Dentistry” (TG-Dental) as part of the International Telecommunication Union and World Health Organization (ITU/WHO) Focus Group on Artificial Intelligence for Health (FG-AI4H).

Dr. Dhingra is Editorial Board Member of Journal of Periodontal Research. He serves as Specialty Editor of Bulletin of The Royal College of Surgeons of England, Academic Editor of PLOS ONE, Associate Editor of BMC Biotechnology, Frontiers in Oral Health, Frontiers in Dental Medicine, Frontiers in Education and Periodontal and Implant Research journals.

Dr. Dhingra practices exclusive microsurgery for soft and hard tissue regeneration around teeth and dental implants.

Sergio Uribe

Associate Professor at the Department of Conservative Dentistry and Oral Health, Riga Stradins University, Riga, Latvia, and Visiting Professor at LMU Klinikum, LMU, Munich, Germany. He holds a DDS, is a Specialist in Maxillofacial Radiology (MSc), and has a PhD. Prof. Uribe's research interests include diagnostic imaging, cariology, artificial intelligence, meta-research, and dental education. He is the Principal Investigator of the Global Initiative on AI for Health (GI-AI4H), a collaborative effort by WHO/ITU/WIPO to advance the application of artificial intelligence in dentistry. Prof. Uribe serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Dental Research and the Dental Traumatology Journal and has reviewed over 400 papers for more than 30 journals. In 2007, the International Dental Association in New Orleans, USA, honored him with the Research in Prevention Travel Award.

Manal Hamdan

Dr. Manal Hamdan serves as an Assistant Professor and the Predoctoral Program Director at Marquette University School of Dentistry. She obtained her DDS from the University of Jordan and earned her Master's degree and Certificate in Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology from the UNC-Adams School of Dentistry. Dr. Hamdan is also a member of the Faculty of Dentistry at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and a diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology (ABOMR).

She is a recipient of the Albert G. Richards Research Grant Award and the AAOMR Research Poster Award for her thesis research on AI.  Dr. Hamdan actively reviews AI-related articles for several journals, including BMC Oral Health, npj Digital Medicine, Clinical Oral Investigations, and the Journal of Oral Rehabilitation. In addition, she contributes to the ITU/WHO/WIPO Global Initiative on AI for Health as a member of the Dental Diagnostics and Digital Dentistry Topic Group. Dr. Hamdan is also an active member of the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology (AAOMR) Research and Technology Committee. She runs a CBCT reading service at Marquette and is deeply engaged in radiology education for both predoctoral and graduate students.

Her research primarily focuses on AI applications in radiology, exploring ethical considerations and democtization of AI, as well as advancements in CBCT and digital dentistry.