Artificial Intelligence is no longer just a futuristic buzzword—it’s transforming the way we practice dentistry today.

As someone who has spent decades in the dental industry, I’ve seen firsthand how innovation improves both patient outcomes and practice efficiency. But AI is something different. It's not just a tool—it’s an evolution.

A recent article, “A New Era of Dental Care: Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Better Diagnosis and Treatment,” offers a compelling look at how AI is reshaping dentistry from the inside out.

From dental assistant to hygienist, dentist, private practice owner, corporate executive, and dental school leader—I’ve seen it all.

For decades, dentists have battled the same problems:

❌ Too much time spent on admin instead of patient care – I’d much rather be in the chair working with patients, wouldn’t you?
❌ High overhead & staffing shortages – AI is not here to replace your team.  It’s here to make them more effective. 
❌ Unanswered calls leading to lost revenue – You have patients coming in, patients leaving for three hygienists and only one person at the phone.  What suffers?  You got it, the phone doesn’t get answered. 
❌ Inefficient scheduling & missed patient opportunities – Last minute cancellations and no-shows can easily get handled with the right system in place. 

I know these struggles because I’ve lived them. That’s exactly why I founded The Hanlon Group—to share what I’ve learned and help guide dentists toward a smarter, more efficient future.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been transforming industries—from finance and healthcare to logistics and customer service for years. Yet, many dental professionals still see AI as a futuristic concept rather than an immediate game-changer.

The truth is that AI is already here, and the most innovative dental practices are leveraging it to cut costs, enhance efficiency, and improve patient experiences. Where are you on this journey?  It’s hard to grasp new concepts sometimes – I get it!  But you'll start falling behind if you’re not keeping up with what is changing.  Not using AI today in your practice is much like dental practices still taking alginate impressions!  There are so many ways to improve our outcomes while increasing patient satisfaction that NOT getting on board will cost you the value of your practice when you are ready to sell.