Abstract
Introduction: The application of artificial intelligence (AI) has been grown exponentially in various fields. This application will certainly have an impact on both young dentists and dental students. It is becoming evident that a need for teaching AI technology to dental students exits.
Aim: This study aimed to examine perspectives of Saudi dental students on the impact of AI in dentistry.
Materials and Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a questionnaire sent to undergraduate Saudi dental students at King Saud University between February and April 2021. The questionnaire consisted of 22 questions and was constructed via Google Forms with the aim evaluating dental students' perspectives on the impact of AI technologies in dentistry.
Results: A total of 218 students responded to the questionnaire. Of these, 22% had basic knowledge about AI technologies, and approximately 37% know the application of AI in dentistry. Of these, about 61% of subjects obtained information about AI from social media. Seventy-four percent agreed that AI will lead to major advances in dentistry, but 64% of participants did not agree that AI can replace them in the future. Sixty-six percent and 77% of the students agreed on incorporation of AI technology in undergraduate and postgraduate dental curriculum, respectively.
Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, most Saudi dental students appear to be enthusiastic about application of AI in dentistry. They believe that AI can be used effectively for disease diagnoses. A need to incorporate AI technology in dental curriculum exists.