Revenue cycle enhancements, 3D imaging on CBCTs and AI note dictation are three functions that two CEOs are looking for in the future of dental AI.
Pittsburgh-based North American Dental Group recently implemented Overjet’s IRIS Smart Imaging software in all of its 240 practice locations, building on the integration of AI into the dental space.
Paul Reda, CEO of NADG, and Wardah Inam, PhD, CEO of Overjet, recently connected with Becker’s to talk about the evolution of dental AI up to this point and where it could be headed in the future.
Editor’s note: Responses were lightly edited for clarity and length.
Question: How have you seen AI change the dental field up to this point, and how will the field keep evolving around AI?
Dr. Wardah Inam: In this case, IRIS is an AI native imaging software, not just AI anymore. We need to have this conversation change to AI being a product that helps people with the work that they were doing or are going to be doing, and not just as a simple tool. I see the shift in the narrative happening from our side as well. We were first all about dental AI being here for dentistry. We now need to let people know that it has evolved to be the AI native imaging software.
As we go into the RCM space, it’s not just AI for the sake of AI, and I think that’s what’s shifting. Early on, companies didn’t even know why they wanted AI; they just wanted it. Now, we’re working with them to really define it, because we can be more successful when we’re intentional. So the question is, “What is this product doing?”, and this native imaging software is helping providers diagnose and communicate with their patients more effectively.
Paul Reda: AI is a tool to help us give our patients a better experience. It’s meant to support our team so they feel they have the tools necessary. Ultimately, driving that patient experience, I hear AI everywhere. It’s not going to replace people. You’re not going to want to talk to a bot. You want to have a human experience, but I want to provide the tools so that my team can spend the most time with our patients, face to face and give them the best experience possible. It’s a tool to help enhance that patient experience, and it can’t replace the dentist doing the dentist. It can’t replace a smiling face. And, at the end, you actually pay what you think you’re going to pay. The experience starts from your scheduling, your first contact with us, when you get there, when you’re greeted, you get the best treatment possible, and then your bill is taken care of, because billing can ruin your experience. That is what AI is meant to do. How can we give the best experience possible?
Q: What capabilities are you hoping that Overjet may advance to in the next couple of months, or even next couple of years?
PR: I’ve given the Overjet team carte blanche to test whatever they want with our practices. I think it’s a true partnership in terms of how we’ve worked with IRIS and some other items as well. Her team has open access to all of our practices to do what they need to. I’m hoping, personally, to see the 3D imaging Overjet technology on CBCTs. We want to have AI dictation for our notes. I want that educational tool to come up on the screen so the doctor can easily portray it to a patient. I can’t wait to see what they come up with.
WI: I agree with Paul completely. There’s a lot being done on the clinical side. We’re also excited about helping get to instant decisions and automation on the revenue cycle management side, so the cost to collect reduces significantly. How much we’re paying right now to collect what is produced is significant. We’re working on how to reduce that and make sure that that money is going towards more patient care and growing, rather than just spending on collecting money.
