Dentistry is poised for a digital revolution. Innovative startups believe AI can enhance accessibility, reduce costs, and promote disease prevention—if biases and trust issues don’t obstruct progress.
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In the UK, the rise of DIY dentistry—such as individuals extracting teeth at home, using glue for broken fillings, or neglecting cavities—has become increasingly concerning. A survey conducted by the British Dental Association revealed that 82% of dentists have treated patients who attempted self-directed care since lockdowns began, a trend linked to access issues and the emergence of “dental deserts.”
The situation isn’t much better across the Atlantic, where approximately 72 million Americans lack dental insurance, as indicated by the 2024–2025 CareQuest State of Oral Health Equity in America survey, which indicates many only seek dental care when pain becomes unbearable.
The scale of the problem is staggering. According to the World Health Organization, oral diseases are the most prevalent health issue globally, affecting nearly 3.7 billion people. Moreover, the CDC estimates that untreated oral diseases result in a $46 billion annual loss in productivity in the U.S. The common theme across these crises is that many oral diseases are preventable, yet systemic barriers hinder effective prevention.
Enter the realm of AI startups, which are aiming to bridge the gap between preventable healthcare and unaffordable treatment. By leveraging AI in dentistry, these innovative companies aim to shift the dental sector towards proactive prevention. Their objectives include developing AI tools capable of detecting cavities or gum disease from images, streamlining administrative processes to reduce wait times, and empowering dentists to serve more patients efficiently.
Prevention Before The Drill
Dr. Deepak Aulak is firm in his convictions: “By the time the drill touches the tooth, it often signifies a missed opportunity.” Aulak, the founder and CEO of Toothfairy, a UK-based company that relies on AI to identify early signs of gum disease and cavities, contends that dentistry should be viewed as a field focused on prevention rather than merely drilling and filling. He believes that AI brings the potential for earlier detection of conditions, saving patients from painful and costly procedures in the future.
From a dental practitioner’s viewpoint, this evolution is long overdue. The WHO highlights untreated dental caries in permanent teeth as the world’s most common condition. Aulak argues that the high prevalence of preventable dental diseases has compelled dentists to seek more effective tools.
“Creating effective AI solutions mandates deep domain expertise. Our team comprises practicing dentists who have treated thousands of patients and are acutely aware of the challenges in dental care,” he asserts. He believes the conventional model is not affordable, accessible, or adequate and views digital tools as a pathway to mitigate these gaps.
Rethinking Dental Economics
Behind the scenes of a dental practice lies a complex web of scheduling, insurance, billing, and administrative tasks. Farid Fadaie, founder of Viva AI, emphasizes the importance of operational efficiency in improving access to dental care. “AI resolves bottlenecks that squander time and revenue—missed calls, unfulfilled treatments, and confusing care plans. By automating administrative functions, dentists can maximize their capabilities while providing patients with quicker and more affordable care,” he explains.
In today’s dental landscape, this kind of operational efficiency isn’t merely advantageous—it’s essential. Mainstream dental insurance tools are increasingly incorporating AI to lower operational costs, enhance claims accuracy, and simplify payments. For instance, Overjet has gained traction by employing AI to validate X-rays and facilitate billing procedures, assisting both insurers and dentists in minimizing claim denials and accelerating reimbursements.
These trends herald a transformation in dental practice management, featuring reduced overhead expenses, accelerated cash flow, and scalable operations.
Bias, Trust And Human Oversight
Any discussion regarding AI in medicine must address the issue of bias, and dentistry is no exception. The diversity of dental tissues—including variations in color, texture, and pigmentation among individuals and ethnic groups—poses challenges for algorithmic diagnoses. “The different colors and textures in the mouth complicate diagnostics; if the AI is not trained appropriately, it can lead to misunderstandings. For instance, certain pigmentation might indicate a health concern for some individuals while being normal for others,” Aulak comments, asserting that Toothfairy regularly conducts bias audits and performance checks.
Similarly, Fadaie positions inclusivity as a cornerstone of design: “We actively test our solutions across diverse demographics and languages to identify and address potential issues. Our multilingual platform ensures that patients from various backgrounds receive equitable care, and we continuously audit results to eliminate performance disparities.”
Nevertheless, some experts advise caution. Dr. Chester Gary, a clinical assistant professor of restorative dentistry, warns that “AI, in its best implementations, is still merely a computational tool. AI lacks the capacity for human judgment and is unable to consider a patient’s financial, social, or mental circumstances.”
This serves as a reminder to balance enthusiasm with a clear understanding of AI’s limitations. For both Aulak and Fadaie, the key lies in retaining human involvement, with both founders emphasizing the necessity of transparency regarding AI usage and its rationale to build the trust of clinicians and patients alike.
New Frontiers And Adoption Hurdles
Despite advancements in AI tools for dentistry, challenges related to adoption remain. Aulak mentions that the “old boys’ club” within the dental field frequently resists technological innovation. However, he perceives a shift influenced by external factors, such as increasing demands from insurers, space constraints in clinics, and ample evidence linking oral health with systemic conditions like diabetes and Alzheimer’s.
For Fadaie, regulatory uncertainties, privacy concerns, and reimbursement frameworks are among the critical obstacles facing the dental sector. However, he notes that proactive companies, like Viva, are navigating these challenges by ensuring compliance from the outset, providing clear patient disclosures, and developing workflows that align with current insurance and teledentistry models.
Investors also appear optimistic. Fadaie identifies dentistry as a “high-volume, high-cost, and fragmented market—ideal for AI to yield immediate, measurable returns on investment.” Aulak highlights recent progress: Earlier this month, Toothfairy completed an oversubscribed $10 million funding round, achieving profitability and generating millions in revenue—a rarity in an AI landscape where many startups still operate at a loss.
Both Aulak and Fadaie envision a future where various tools converge to enhance the patient experience. Aulak sees a comprehensive suite that integrates home and clinical monitoring, facilitating diagnosis and treatment. Fadaie anticipates a seamless link between communication-driven AI and clinical applications, providing patients with timely feedback and comprehensive healthcare pathways. In his words, “The most significant opportunities lie in synchronizing patient dialogues with clinical AI, thus making prevention the more economically viable option.”
Historically overlooked in the broader healthcare digital transformation, dentistry now appears ready to evolve. Beyond improved dental imaging technologies, this shift promises a redefined approach to accessibility, timing, and costs of care. While challenges related to bias, trust, regulatory frameworks, and adoption persist, the AI solutions currently being developed might reshape dental healthcare into a narrative driven by inclusion, proactive prevention, and economic viability.
