Evaluating the understanding of AI and its Applications in Dentistry amongst Final Year Undergraduate Dental Students, a Multi-Center Survey
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47489/szmc.v40i2.968Keywords:
Artificial Intelligence, Dental, Dentistry, Students, Education, PakistanAbstract
Background: Dentistry is increasingly adopting AI technology; however, the preparedness of dental students for embracing the technology is still poorly known.
Objective: To examines the perception, attitude, and knowledge of the fourth-year dental students at Islamabad about the application of AI technology in dentistry and to evaluate the understanding of AI and its dental applications among final?year undergraduate dental students in a multi?center setting.
Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted from March to July 2025 including 165 Bachelor of Dental Surgery Final year students. After seeking ethical approval and informed consent, Participants were recruited using stratified random sampling with equal allocation from five dental institutions located in Islamabad. Data were collected using questionnaire consisting of 19 items, using a 5-point Likert scale. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS version 26 including descriptive statistics and inferential tests i.e independent samples t?test (Welch's correction applied where variances were unequal) and one?way ANOVA. Effect sizes (Cohen's d) were calculated for significant t-test results. Assumptions of normality and homogeneity of variance were verified prior to ANOVA.
Results: 73.3% female participants showed strong familiarity with the AI concept (mean 4.36±0.87) but only moderate understanding of machine learning (3.36±1.09) and deep learning (3.27±1.10). Ethical concerns scored the lowest (2.98±1.02). Attitudes were predominantly positive; the highest agreement was for willingness to integrate AI into practice (3.95±0.81) and interest in AI training (3.92±0.80). Males demonstrated significantly higher total knowledge (23.25±2.94 vs 21.21±3.50, p=0.001) and more favorable attitudes (51.20±8.72 vs 48.46±5.73, p=0.047) than females. No statistically significant inter?institutional differences were observed.
Conclusion: Final?year dental students in Islamabad have basic knowledge and an optimistic attitude towards AI. However, deficiencies in technical and ethical knowledge, along with gender?related discrepancies, support the need to incorporate AI education into the dental curriculum.
References
Hosny A, Parmar C, Quackenbush J, Schwartz LH, Aerts HJWL. Artificial intelligence in radiology. Nat Rev Cancer. 2018;18:500-510. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41568-018-0037-2
Chang HY, Jung CK, Woo JI, et al. Artificial intelligence in pathology. J Pathol Transl Med. 2019;53:1-12. https://doi.org/10.4132/jptm.2018.12.31
Du-Harpur X, Watt FM, Luscombe NM, Lynch MD. What is AI? Applications of artificial intelligence to dermatology. Br J Dermatol. 2020;183:423-430. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjd.18880
Deshmukh SV. Artificial intelligence in dentistry. J Int Clin Dent Res Organ. 2018;10:47. https://doi.org/10.4103/jicdro.jicdro_17_18
Lee JH, Kim DH, Jeong SN, Choi SH. Detection and diagnosis of dental caries using a deep learning-based convolutional neural network algorithm. J Dent. 2018;77:106-111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdent.2018.07.015
Krois J, Ekert T, Meinhold L, et al. Deep learning for the radiographic detection of periodontal bone loss. Sci Rep. 2019;9:8495. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-44839-1
Davenport T, Kalakota R. The potential for artificial intelligence in healthcare. Future Healthc J. 2019;6:94-98. https://doi.org/10.7861/futurehosp.6-2-94
Schwalbe N, Wahl B. Artificial intelligence and the future of global health. Lancet. 2020;395:1579-1586. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30925-9
Yilmaz C, Erdem RZ, Alt?nok Uygun L. Artificial intelligence knowledge, attitudes and application perspectives of undergraduate and specialty students of faculty of dentistry in Turkey: an online survey research. BMC Med Educ. 2024;24:1149. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-06106-6
Roganovic J, Radenkovic M, Milicic B. Responsible use of artificial intelligence in dentistry: survey on dentists’ and final-year undergraduates’ perspectives. Healthcare (Basel). 2023;11(10):1480. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11101480
Shrateh ON, Al-batat S, Al-Qudimat AR, Ghannam LI, Abuhanoud LJ. Attitudes and perceptions of dental students towards artificial intelligence. BMC Med Educ. 2025;25:1386. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-025-07854-9
Sarhan S, Badran A, Ghalwash D, Almalahy HG, Abou-Bakr A. Perception, usage, and concerns of artificial intelligence applications among postgraduate dental students: cross-sectional study. BMC Med Educ. 2025;25:856. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-025-07544-6
Dashti M, Londono J, Ghasemi S, et al. Attitudes, knowledge, and perceptions of dentists and dental students toward artificial intelligence: a systematic review. J Taibah Univ Med Sci. 2024;19:327-337. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtumed.2024.01.008
Patoli AQ. Role of syndromic management using dynamic machine learning in future of e-Health in Pakistan. Studies in Health Technology and Informatics. 2007 Jan 1;129(1):601.https://ebooks.iospress.nl/publication/11046
Abid S, Awan B, Ismail T, Sarwar N, Sarwar G, Tariq M, et al. Artificial intelligence: medical student’s attitude in district Peshawar, Pakistan. Pak J Public Health. 2019;9:19-21.https://doi.org/10.32413/pjph.v9i1.295
Akhtar H, Faheem S, Qasim R, et al. Assessment of knowledge and perceptions of artificial intelligence among dental students of Karachi, Pakistan: A multi-center survey. Pak Oral Dent J. 2022;42:193-199.https://www.podj.com.pk/index.php/podj/article/view/711
Abdullah S, Ali NA, Khan TA. What is artificial intelligence and how much are private practitioners aware of it? Pak Oral Dent J. 2023;43:45-51.https://mail.podj.com.pk/index.php/podj/article/view/729
Naureen S, Kiani HG, Naureen N, Shafique M. Comparison of knowledge and attitude towards Chat GPT in first and final-year dental students. JRMC. 2024;28(1). https://doi.org/10.37939/jrmc.v28i1.2425
Qamar W, Khaleeq N, Nisar A, Tariq SF, Lajber M. Exploring dental professionals’ outlook on the future of dental care amidst the integration of artificial intelligence in dentistry: a pilot study in Pakistan. BMC Oral Health. 2024;24:542. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-024-04413-2
Mengi A, Singh RP, Mengi N, Kalgotra S, Singh A. A questionnaire study regarding knowledge, attitude and usage of artificial intelligence and machine learning by the orthodontic fraternity of Northern India. J Oral Biol Craniofac Res. 2024;14:500-506. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobcr.2024.06.002
Ullah I, Nawab HU, Owais S. Factors influencing women's preferences for STEM professions: a case study of University of Peshawar. Qlantic Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities. 2024;5(2):184- 193.https://doi.org/10.55737/qjssh.767391422
This work is licensed under a 