Zope Sameer A, Dongare Sayali S, Suragimath Girish, Varma Siddhartha, Kale Apurva V
Department of Periodontology, School of Dental Sciences, Krishna Vishwa Vidyapeeth (Deemed To Be University), Karad, IND.
Cureus. 2025 Feb 15;17(2):e79031. doi: 10.7759/cureus.79031. eCollection 2025 Feb.
Introduction Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming dentistry by enhancing diagnostics, treatment planning, and education. Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer (ChatGPT), a conversational AI, offers the potential for improving communication, academic learning, and clinical decision-making. However, challenges like data privacy, ethical implications, and limited validation remain. This study evaluated the knowledge, awareness, and practices regarding ChatGPT among dental students and the teaching faculty in Maharashtra, India. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 384 participants: 161 undergraduates, 138 postgraduates, and 85 members of the teaching faculty. A pre-validated, closed-ended questionnaire with 22 questions assessed their knowledge, awareness, and practices regarding ChatGPT. Data were collected via Google Forms and analyzed using Pearson's chi-squared test, with p<0.05 considered significant. Results A total of 384 participants, including undergraduates (n=161), postgraduates (n=138), and members of the teaching faculty (n=85), were surveyed about their knowledge, awareness, and use of ChatGPT in dentistry. The majority (87.2%) recognized ChatGPT as an AI-based neural network and were aware of its role in guiding patients and assisting in clinical decision-making. Postgraduates showed the highest knowledge and acceptance. Concerns about data privacy were prominent, especially among the teaching faculty (91.8%). Postgraduates frequently used ChatGPT for additional dental information and as a knowledge repository. However, faculty members were less likely to use ChatGPT for presentations, with significant differences observed across groups (P<0.05). Conclusion ChatGPT is gaining recognition for its diverse applications in dentistry, with the teaching faculty demonstrating increased awareness and postgraduate students demonstrating better knowledge and greater practical use. Integrating AI into dental education and developing targeted training programs can enhance its role in advancing education, research, and patient care.
引言 人工智能（AI）正在通过加强诊断、治疗规划和教育来改变牙科领域。聊天生成预训练变换器（ChatGPT）作为一种对话式人工智能，具有改善沟通、学术学习和临床决策的潜力。然而，数据隐私、伦理问题和验证有限等挑战依然存在。本研究评估了印度马哈拉施特拉邦牙科学生和教师对ChatGPT的知识、认知和使用情况。方法 对384名参与者进行了一项横断面研究：161名本科生、138名研究生和85名教师。一份经过预验证的、有22个问题的封闭式问卷评估了他们对ChatGPT的知识、认知和使用情况。数据通过谷歌表单收集，并使用Pearson卡方检验进行分析，p<0.05被认为具有统计学意义。结果 总共对384名参与者进行了调查，包括本科生（n=161）、研究生（n=138）和教师（n=85），了解他们在牙科领域对ChatGPT的知识、认知和使用情况。大多数（87.2%）将ChatGPT识别为基于人工智能的神经网络，并了解其在指导患者和协助临床决策方面的作用。研究生表现出最高的知识水平和接受度。对数据隐私的担忧很突出，尤其是在教师中（91.8%）。研究生经常使用ChatGPT获取额外的牙科信息并将其作为知识宝库。然而，教师不太可能将ChatGPT用于演示文稿，不同组之间存在显著差异（P<0.05）。结论 ChatGPT因其在牙科领域的多种应用而获得认可，教师的认知度有所提高，研究生表现出更好的知识水平和更多的实际应用。将人工智能整合到牙科教育中并制定有针对性的培训计划，可以增强其在推进教育、研究和患者护理方面的作用。
