Abstract
I take great pleasure in welcoming you to this part 1 issue on General dentistry. As in recent years, the journal has been overwhelmed with numerous excellent manuscripts which resulted in the Editorial Team’s decision to split the papers across two consecutive journal issues. Part 1 of the General dentistry issue of the Primary Dental Journal covers a diverse array of topics, including an evidence-based toolkit for dental teams aimed at improving conversations with patients in support of the Public Health England ‘Delivering Better Oral Health (DBOH)’ 1 document; challenges and opportunities for the recruitment and retention of oral healthcare practitioners and supporting staff; a review of computer-assisted rehabilitation in implant dentistry; dental transposition anomalies; the restoration of posterior root filled teeth; digital smile design; and the role of ChatGPT in academic dentistry. Part 2 of the General dentistry issue, to be published in summer 2024, will address an equally broad range of exciting topics pertinent to primary dental care.
This part 1 issue features a thought-provoking article on the role of ChatGPT in dental academia. It is rooted in the growing footprint of artificial intelligence (AI) in education and healthcare. AI has been making waves in various fields, and dentistry is no exception owing to its tremendous potential and equally substantial challenges. In recent years, AI has been increasingly used in dental education, diagnostics, treatment planning, patient communication, and treatment workflows to improve patient outcomes and streamline dental procedures. However, some challenges still need to be addressed before AI becomes more widely adopted in dentistry. One major concern is data privacy since AI requires access to sensitive patient information such as medical records and imaging data. In addition, there is a need for more research on how algorithms can be trained on diverse datasets to ensure unbiased decision-making. Despite these challenges, AI has enormous potential to transform the field of dentistry. As technology advances, we can expect more innovative applications of AI in dental care that will improve patient outcomes while reducing costs and increasing efficiency.
There is no doubt the body of literature on the applications of AI in dentistry in general will continue to grow, and the Primary Dental Journal welcomes submissions to be published in this area. Although this adds the burden of soliciting peer-reviewers outside the realm of dentistry, including individuals such as data scientists and AI researchers, it is a challenge that the Editorial Team of the Primary Dental Journal welcomes to advance this exciting interdisciplinary field of dentistry and information technology.
As part of the ongoing effort to support the journey of continued learning and development of the primary dental care team, I am hoping that this part 1 issue will address topics that are likely to be informative and relevant to your practice and that readers will find the articles stimulating, interesting and valuable.