Innovation in ophthalmology and dentistry services: benefits and challenges of using AI

Abstract

The development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing different organizational contexts, including health services. Among these services, ophthalmology and dentistry stand out for being areas with intense use of technological innovations, mainly for obtaining images. The use of AI promotes innovation in the provision of these services, helping the activities of professionals working in this area. However, the literature is still scarce on the perception of these professionals regarding the benefits and challenges arising from the use of these innovations. In this sense, the objective of this article is to evaluate the perception of ophthalmologists and dentists in the use of AI technological innovations in relation to the benefits for patient care, as well as the challenges for its implementation and adoption. This is a qualitative research that was developed from data collected, through a questionnaire, with 18 health professionals, 10 ophthalmologists, and 8 dentists. As a result, it was observed that the main benefits found with the use of AI-assisted innovations were diagnostic support, mainly in increasing assertiveness and reducing the time to detect diseases. In addition, these innovations provided an increase in the time of the doctor-patient relationship, reflecting greater satisfaction of the users of these health services. The challenge presented in the implementation of innovations in ophthalmology and dentistry was the lack of incentives from health plans in the application of AI. Without financial incentives, the costs of these innovations become a significant barrier to adoption. To overcome the barrier related to cost, some ophthalmologists acquired equipment in partnership with other health professionals, enabling the sharing and rationalization of costs related to the technological resource. Finally, in the perception of both professionals (ophthalmologists and dentists), AI promotes innovations in health services, complementing and not substituting the clinical diagnosis of a specialized professional.