The Idaho Board of Dentistry has adopted a new policy on the use of AI in dental clinical practice Oct. 9.
The policy, issued through the state’s Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses, applies to dentists, dental hygienists, dental therapists and denturists.
Here are eight things to know from the policy:
- The board does not preapprove individual AI technologies or clinical tools. Licensees may use AI as long as the use complies with Idaho law and the applicable standard of care.
- The policy describes AI use in dentistry, dental hygiene, dental therapy and denturitry as “evolving areas.”
- Under Idaho Code § 67-9407(1), an act is within a licensee’s practice authority if it is consistent with and not expressly prohibited by state code, consistent with the licensee’s education, training and experience, and within the accepted standard of care for a reasonable and prudent professional with similar training in a similar setting. The board cites that three-part test as the framework for evaluating AI use.
- On privacy, the board suggests practitioners ask whether an AI system can maintain the confidentiality of protected health information. It also asks whether a business associate agreement is needed to maintain HIPAA compliance, or whether information is appropriately de-identified before it is entered.
- The board also suggests practitioners ask what evidence supports a tool’s reliability and validity for its intended clinical use, what its limitations are and how outputs will be independently verified for accuracy, completeness and clinical appropriateness before they are used for patient care.
- Practitioners should consider whether AI output could introduce bias, omit patient-specific factors or lead to an inappropriate recommendation, according to the policy. The board does not require patient disclosure, but it asks practitioners to consider whether the nature and extent of AI use should be disclosed to patients or documented in the clinical record.
- The policy sets three conditions for AI use: the licensee has enough education, training and experience to use the tools competently within their scope of practice, care meets or exceeds the standard of care that applies without AI, and the use complies with federal and state privacy and confidentiality laws.
- Using AI does not change a licensee’s responsibilities, the board said. Licensees remain professionally accountable for all care they provide, direct or oversee, regardless of the tools used, and the board retains its authority to investigate allegations that a licensee failed to meet the standard of care.
