Artificial Intelligence Chatbots in Patient Communication: Current Possibilities.

Abstract

ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, can generate text prompts based on user input. This study investigated the possibility of utilizing this tool to generate adequate and relevant patient educational and management documents in the context of dental implant surgery. A total of 27 periodontists were surveyed on the accuracy and usefulness of AI-generated documents comprising informational handouts for patients on surgical risks and postoperative instruction sheets for dental implant placement in either smokers or patients with diabetes. These periodontists were also asked in a blinded fashion about their preferences between the generic implant placement consent form currently used at Boston University and two AI-generated consent forms, one generic and one tailored to patients with diabetes. A vast majority of participants found that the information in the AI-generated forms was accurate and useful, and they would feel comfortable using them with their own patients. The AI-generated generic consent form performed at least as well as the humanwritten one, while the personalized AI-generated consent form for patients with diabetes performed significantly better (P < .001). Within the limitations of this study, ChatGPT was able to independently generate accurate and useful informational and management documents for patients.