Webinar “AI for practice management” presented 14 November

Anisha Hall Hoppe, Dental Tribune International

Tue. 5. November 2024

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A new webinar on the Colgate Oral Health Network will guide dental professionals in selecting and integrating artificial intelligence (AI) solutions in their practices. Drs Alexander Lee and Hubert Chan, experts in dental education and technology, will present “AI for practice management” on 14 November. Attendees will learn the fundamentals of AI and how to evaluate the suitability of technologies and will explore practical use cases that drive immediate results. Dental Tribune International spoke with Drs Lee and Chan about their background in dental technology and what attendees can expect from the webinar.

Dr Alexander Lee.

Dr Lee, you’ve been at the forefront of integrating technology into clinical operations. Could you share a bit about your background and how you have worked to implement AI into clinical operations?
I’ll be forthright: I don’t have formal training in technology, but I have a deep, lifelong interest in it. Growing up, I was that computer geek—think middle school gamer—constantly exploring what tech could do, breaking things just to fix them. When I went to the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine, I had the privilege of learning from a team that literally defined “dental informatics” for the American Dental Association. While I didn’t work directly with them, their work opened my eyes to how vital technology was becoming in dentistry, planting the seed for what would become my career focus. At Pitt, my class transitioned from paper charts to the electronic health record module of the axiUm dental software. I had the unique experience of working with both paper and electronic systems, which gave me a broad perspective on the advantages and challenges each presented.

In 2010, I joined the newly established Western University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine, where I helped design and set up our clinical infrastructure from the ground up. This included implementing axiUm, setting up the picture archiving and communication system and designing workstations. It was a sink-or-swim experience, and I leaned on my personal experiences with both paper and electronic systems to design processes that were user-friendly. Given the early stage of the college, I had a lot of freedom to experiment, learn from mistakes and adapt.

Throughout this journey, I focused on the user interface and user experience—seeking to ensure that the technology served users, not the other way around. This emphasis led to many early successes and gradually built trust, resulting in more responsibilities. Even as the technology I work with has evolved, my commitment to creating seamless user experiences has remained constant.

As for AI, my background as a computer geek keeps me grounded. AI is incredible, but it’s also not as new as some might think. Whether it’s automatic segmentation of CBCT, training CAD/CAM systems for restorative proposals or using advanced financial analytics and marketing tools, dentistry has been leveraging AI for over a decade. My approach to integrating AI is much like integrating an electronic health record or a picture archiving and communication system: it’s about making the tech work invisibly in the background, ready when you need it and out of the way when you don’t.

At the college, we’re currently working to integrate Overjet into all phases of our operations, staying mindful of the fact that AI is a tool—and one that must be used responsibly with clear intention. Ultimately, my goal is always to make sure that the technology we implement serves the needs of both providers and patients, seamlessly enhancing the clinical experience for everyone.

Dr Chan, could you tell our readers how you came to focus a section of your career on integrating technology into dental education and practice?My focus on integrating technology into dental education and practice is largely influenced by the fact that I’m a Gen Xer. My generation was among the first to have access to personal computers both at home and in school. The technology of the 1980s, however, was very different from what we have today: it didn’t always work seamlessly. You had to learn how to trouble-shoot and fix things on your own. This fostered a mindset of problem-solving, whether it was figuring out how to get your word processor back up or enjoying that new video game.

Dr Hubert Chan.

This experience parallels what we see in dental education and practice, where problem-solving is essential, whether it’s in patient care or curriculum development. My early experiences with technology equipped me with the skills to approach these challenges from a tech-driven perspective. In dental education and practice, leveraging technology broadens the tools and methods available to solve problems more efficiently through integration.

Dr Lee, you’ve developed patented technologies in dental education, showcasing your deep involvement in the tech space. How will this webinar help clinicians assess and implement AI tools in their practices, and what advice would you offer clinicians who are still on the fence about embracing AI in their work?
The webinar will be grounded in the fundamentals of technology implementation. One important aspect to understand is that, in the US, technology adoption in healthcare is strongly guided by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). HIPAA is a federal law that protects the privacy of patient health information and provides clear but verbose guidelines on technology use in medicine. Most practitioners are familiar with HIPAA in theory, but may not fully understand its functional role when it comes to implementing new technologies, particularly AI.

During the webinar, we’ll focus on helping clinicians identify issues within their dental practice, evaluate whether AI is the right tool to address those issues and, if so, select the appropriate AI tool. It’s not enough just to adopt AI; clinicians need to ensure that they’re putting it into action safely and effectively. We’ll also dive into essential topics like business associate agreements, the importance of negotiating an exit strategy right at the start of a technology contract and best practices for using AI in clinical practice.

For clinicians who are hesitant about embracing AI, my advice is simple: get over it! We have all been using AI in various forms without even realising it. I don’t know of one dentist who has never used a smartphone, purchased anything online or typed in something to a modern search engine. The goal now is to better understand how to use these tools intentionally and responsibly, not to resist them.

Dr Chan, given your experience in aligning curricula and clinical operations, could you give a sneak peek into some immediate steps clinicians can take after attending this webinar to enhance both patient care and operational efficiency in their practices?
I believe that what I learned growing up remains highly relevant today. The key takeaway is that there is no simple, one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to technology in dental practice. We often desire the best tools for specific tasks, but the reality is that these systems rarely integrate smoothly right out of the box. The challenge of integration usually falls on us and that requires an understanding of how these technologies function.

Many practice owners are already familiar with fixing their own equipment, whether it’s dental chairs, autoclaves or handpieces. Similarly, AI can be an incredibly valuable tool for enhancing clinical operations and patient care, but we must treat it as another piece of equipment that may need troubleshooting when it doesn’t work as expected. AI, like any unfamiliar technology, can seem daunting at first, but the key is to start using it. Only by actively engaging with it can we begin to understand both its potential and its limitations.

Editorial note:

Registration on the Colgate Oral Health Network is free. The webinar, titled “AI for practice management”, will take place on 14 November at 5 p.m. PST. By completing a quiz after the webinar, attendees can earn one continuing education credit.