SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE | 1-MINUTE READ
A multicentre study published in International Dental Journal assessed whether artificial intelligence (AI) helps early-career dentists detect caries on panoramic radiographs.
Twelve dentists with up to three years of experience interpreted 402 radiographs with and without AI assistance. Their results were compared with a reference standard established by experts.
What did they investigate and find?
3 key points
- More caries detected: the proportion of teeth with caries correctly identified increased from 67.4% without AI to 82.4% with AI.
- Identification of healthy teeth remained similar: the proportion correctly identified as healthy was 97.2% without AI and 97.4% with AI.
- Less time needed: interpreting each radiograph took an average of 65.12 seconds without AI and 50.37 seconds with AI.
How is this useful in professional practice?
The authors suggest that AI may support the interpretation of panoramic radiographs, particularly among early-career dentists. In this study, it improved detection, reduced reading time and increased agreement between readers.
The system highlights suspicious areas: it does not provide a definitive diagnosis or recommend treatment.
Limitations: the study was conducted at three centres in China. The reference standard was based on expert interpretation of panoramic radiographs, without clinical confirmation or bitewing radiographs. Effects on treatment and patient outcomes were not assessed. The authors state that validation in other settings is needed.
Original article:
Multicentre Evaluation of AI-Assisted Caries Detection on Panoramic Radiographs Among Early-Career Dentists.
Authors: Wu Y. and colleagues.
Journal: International Dental Journal, 2026.
DOI: 10.1016/j.identj.2026.109812.