An innovative AI system developed by University of Surrey scientists could potentially revolutionize dental care globally. The system aims to enhance the accuracy of reading X-rays for dentists and dental students, resulting in better identification of tooth decay and gum disease.
Developed in collaboration with Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, King’s College London, and the Oral Health Foundation the AI system enables scientists to utilize an advanced model for identifying anomalies in anatomical structures.
This initiative initially sought to offer a comprehensive resolution for gathering and appending annotations to dental radiographs. Furthermore, the researchers aimed to aid in the identification of illnesses while concurrently refining the optimal approach for integrating this into a medical environment. The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has already grated the project considerable financial support to the tune of $2 million.
Senior AI lecturer and leader of the project at University of Surrey Dr. Yunpeng Li said the tech could save significant amount of money and time once rolled out widely. As a result it will enable dentists to easily identify abnormalities and read radiograms with greater precision.
The project’s next phase brings forth significant enthusiasm, as researchers engage in cooperative endeavors to construct a functional prototype apt for authentic clinical environments. So far the researchers’ endeavors have focused on assembling a pertinent array of annotated radiographs and educating a specially crafted AI model in the identification of dental ailments. Anticipation is high for the holistic results anticipated in the forthcoming years.
AI technologies that aid in precise diagnosis and clinical decision-making have the potential to benefit patients significantly. However, the reliability and credibility of such systems are of utmost importance. Professor Owen Addison, who holds the position of Professor of Oral Rehabilitation and the co-leader for the collaborative project at King’s College London, expresses anticipation in contributing to this endeavor by lending dental proficiency and incorporating the perspectives of end-users.