Evaluating AI-Generated Information for Endodontic and Restorative Dental Treatment: A Comparative Study with Standard Patient Education Methods

Abstract

Background: The application of artificial intelligence (AI) in patient education has the potential to enhance patient understanding and reduce anxiety during dental treatment procedures. This study evaluated the reliability and validity of AI-generated educational content compared to traditional methods in endodontic and restorative dentistry. Furthermore, it investigated the impact of AI-generated information on patient comprehension, anxiety levels, and trust, as well as expert evaluations of its accuracy and comprehensiveness. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at a college associated dental hospital. Forty-eight patients undergoing endodontic or restorative procedures were randomly divided into two groups: AI-generated patient education using ChatGPT (Group A) and traditional patient education via verbal and written materials (Group B). Patient satisfaction with clarity, usefulness, comprehensiveness, trust, and anxiety levels was assessed using a Likert scale survey. Additionally, three dental experts evaluated the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the AI-generated content. Data were analysed using independent t-tests and Cohen’s kappa for inter-rater reliability. Results: AI-generated content significantly outperformed traditional education across all parameters. Mean scores were higher in Group A for clarity (4.42 vs. 3.25), usefulness (4.63 vs. 3.50), comprehensiveness (4.50 vs. 3.29), and trust (4.00 vs. 2.96) (p < 0.001). Patients in the AI group reported lower anxiety levels (2.63 vs. 3.38) (p < 0.001). Experts also rated AI-generated information as more accurate and comprehensive, with high inter-rater reliability (κ = 0.75, p < 0.001). Conclusions: AI-generated content offers clear, comprehensive, and reliable patient education, reducing patient anxiety compared to standard conventional methods. These findings suggest that AI-backed platforms like ChatGPT could play an important role in enhancing patient communication in dental care.