Artificial Intelligence and Teledentistry: Transforming Diagnosis, Treatment Planning, and Oral Healthcare Delivery

This chapter examines the transformative potential of artificial intelligence — including machine learning, deep learning, and convolutional neural networks — in dental diagnostics, encompassing automated detection of caries, periapical pathology, periodontal bone loss, and oral lesions on radiographic and photographic images. It reviews the evidence for AI-assisted treatment planning and outcome prediction in orthodontics, implantology, and oral surgery, and discusses the ethical, regulatory, and workforce implications of AI integration in clinical dentistry. The chapter also addresses the emergence of teledentistry platforms, their role in expanding access to oral healthcare in underserved and remote populations, and the challenges of ensuring equity, data privacy, and quality assurance in remote care delivery.