A study at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Dentistry developed a chatbot using information reviewed by faculty members to answer questions about clinical procedures.

Cortino Sukotjo, DDS, PhD, a professor of restorative dentistry at UIC and director of the college’s predoctoral implant program, led a study examining the effectiveness of chatbots at answering students’ questions to increase efficiency during procedures. While the study showed promising results, skeptics continue to question whether AI-based tools can effectively replicate or supplement human instruction, and whether the information they provide can be trusted as reliable enough for the classroom.