Integrating AI is near the point of being a non-negotiable for dental practice owners, if it isn’t already there.
AI’s advancement is moving faster than the evidence base and regulatory frameworks, which is giving some dentists pause.But soon or later, AI will become a necessity for practices.
Huzefa Kapadia, DDS, owns multiple dental practices in Michigan. He recently connected with Becker’s to talk about what other practice owners have on their minds in today’s dental landscape.
Note: This response was lightly edited for clarity and length.
Question: What dental industry trend is taking up the most mental bandwidth for you right now?
Dr. Huzefa Kapadia: The question keeping most dental practice owners up at night right now isn’t whether to adopt AI — it’s when, and at what cost.
We’re at an inflection point that feels genuinely uncomfortable for a lot of practitioners. The technology is moving faster than the evidence base, faster than the regulatory frameworks and honestly faster than most practice management consultants can keep up with. So you have dentists who are naturally methodical, clinically trained to wait for peer-reviewed evidence before changing protocols, being asked to make five and six-figure technology investments based on demo videos and vendor promises.
The innovator’s dilemma is playing out in a very specific way in dentistry right now. Early adopters of AI diagnostic tools — the radiograph analysis platforms, the AI-assisted treatment planning software — are seeing real workflow benefits, and some are reporting stronger case acceptance because patients respond to the visual clarity these tools provide. That’s compelling. But the dentists who held off two years ago didn’t necessarily fall behind, because the tools have improved substantially even in that short window. So waiting has been rational, too.
Also some of these AI companies will not exist 5-10 years from now. So dentists are hesitant to invest, until they know which ones will be around to service various issues.
And the other elephant in the room is the stratospheric dental hygienist pay. Six years after COVID, and still nowhere near the amount of hygienists are available, while costs keep going up and reimbursements can barely keep up.
