Evaluation of Artificial Intelligence as a Search Tool for Patients: Can ChatGPT-4 Provide Accurate Evidence-Based Orthodontic-Related Information?

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) is already a part of our reality. Many people started using ChatGPT in their daily life, replacing existing web browsers. The confidence people put in the ability of ChatGPT to provide accurate medical information is increasing. With that, the need for proper assessment tools for the safety and reliability of ChatGPT is also crucial. This study aimed to assess the accuracy, reliability, andquality of information provided by ChatGPT-4 on three specific orthodontic topics, namely, impacted canines, interceptive orthodontic treatment, and orthognathic surgery, as evaluated by five experienced orthodontists using a Likert scale ranking method. Using ChatGPT version 4, 20 most commonly asked questions were generated and answered on the following topics: impacted canines, interceptive treatment, and orthognathic surgery. The evaluation of the quality of the answers provided was done by five experienced orthodontists. Quality assessment was done using the Likert scale ranking method. The quality answers generated by a conversational AI system (ChatGPT4) were evaluated by five experienced orthodontists for three topics: impacted canines, interceptive orthodontics, and orthognathic surgery. The evaluators rated each question-answer pair on a five-point scale from "very poor" to "very good." The results showed that the AI system produced generally good quality information for all topics, with no significant difference between them. The inter-rater agreement among the experts was low, indicating some variability in their judgments. This study demonstrates that ChatGPT4 can provide generally good information on impacted canines, interceptive treatment, and orthognathic surgery. However, answers provided should be handled with caution due to variability and lack of reliability and should not be considered a substitute for professional opinion.