Assessing the AI Acumen: A study on the knowledge, attitude and behaviour of dental students towards artificial intelligence

Abstract

The influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be seen in every nook and corner of life. It has become an essential part of human life. Its influence in medical field is also noticeable but in certain aspects utilization of AI in dentistry has not been up to a great extent. This questionnaire-based survey was done to assess the knowledge, attitude and behaviour of dental students about AI. A self-administered closed ended questionnaire consisting of 36 questions was distributed among 3100 interns and post graduate students studying in different parts of Rajasthan. The questionnaire consisted of demographic details of respondents as well as fundamental KAP towards AI.Response rate was 90.32%. The results showed that about 56.75% of respondents had poor knowledge of AI and its application in dentistry. Although their attitude towards AI was fair (48.75%) but their practical experience of using AI was poor (57.89%). There was a significant difference between the KAP of postgraduates when compared to interns (p value < 0.05). Pearsons’s correlation test showed that there was no correlation between knowledge and attitude or knowledge with behaviour as well as attitude and behaviour.There is a lack of awareness about the use of AI in dentistry among dental students. So, there is a need for implementation of practical courses to improve the knowledge as well as practice of AI in dentistry.