“Innovation must be secure, reliable and resilient”—Aspen Dental on its recent AI implementation

Dr Judge, you have been with Aspen Dental since 2008 and have witnessed the organisation’s evolution over nearly two decades. How does this AI rollout compare with previous phases of digital transformation, and what does it signal about the maturity of dentistry’s current innovation cycle?
Innovation has always been part of our DNA—not innovation for its own sake, but innovation that strengthens both clinical confidence in providers and their ability to deliver the best patient care. Over the years, we’ve integrated digital radiography, CBCT, intra-oral scanning and guided workflows, each step improving either diagnostic capability or efficiency. But this AI rollout represents something different. Our deployment of AI-powered clinical support across more than 1,100 supported practices—one of the largest implementations of its kind—signals that dentistry is moving beyond experimentation. We are no longer asking whether AI belongs in practice. We are saying it is a basic requirement. That’s a sign of maturity.

“Innovation has always been part of our DNA.”

The nationwide rollout was completed in just six weeks. You have emphasised that the right technology, implemented with intention, can meaningfully support providers. What did intentional implementation look like in practical terms across these practices?
The rollout may have been six weeks, but the preparation was many months in the making. Intentional implementation meant piloting the technology carefully, evaluating it rigorously and ensuring a natural fit within existing clinical workflows before scaling. There is a difference between adding software and integrating a clinical support tool. We were focused on integration—and that also meant prioritising people. We provided structured training, not just on how the platform functions, but also on how to incorporate it into patient conversations. AI changes how the dentist shows and explains findings. That requires confidence and clarity. We also reinforced one critical principle: this is a support tool; dentists maintain full clinical autonomy. The technology highlights the clinician’s diagnosis and treatment plan. When that boundary is clear, adoption becomes authentic rather than forced.

From your perspective as a clinical leader and mentor, how has AI tangibly changed the clinical experience—particularly in diagnosis, documentation, case presentation and patient communication?
The most meaningful change has been in the patient conversation. When radiographs include AI-supported annotations, patients see what we see. Rather than just an abstract black and white image, it allows us to share a visual that adds actual colour and depth to our explanation. That shared clarity builds trust quickly. In pilot practices, we observed a 12% increase in treatment acceptance following implementation. More importantly, we saw earlier intervention: patients chose to accept care before their oral health conditions progressed. For early-career dentists, the technology provides reassurance that findings are being reviewed comprehensively. For experienced clinicians, it enhances the patient discussion. In both cases, it strengthens consistency without replacing expertise. This is not about AI replacing clinical judgement. It is about making clinical expertise more visible and more understandable to the patient sitting in the chair.