Performance of Large Language Models on the Korean Dental Licensing Examination: A Comparative Study

Purpose

This study investigated the potential application of large language models (LLMs) in dental education and practice, with a focus on ChatGPT and Claude3-Opus. Using the Korean Dental Licensing Examination (KDLE) as a benchmark, we aimed to assess the capabilities of these models in the dental field.

Methods

This study evaluated three LLMs: GPT-3.5, GPT-4 (version: March 2024), and Claude3-Opus (version: March 2024). We used the KDLE questionnaire from 2019 to 2023 as inputs to the LLMs and then used the outputs from the LLMs as the corresponding answers. The total scores for individual subjects were obtained and compared. We also compared the performance of LLMs with those of individuals who underwent the exams.

Results

Claude3-Opus performed best among the considered LLMs, except in 2019 when ChatGPT-4 performed best. Claude3-Opus and ChatGPT-4 surpassed the cut-off scores in all the years considered; this indicated that Claude3-Opus and ChatGPT-4 passed the KDLE, whereas ChatGPT-3.5 did not. However, all LLMs considered performed worse than humans, represented here by dental students in Korea. On average, the best-performing LLM annually achieved 85.4% of human performance.

Conclusion

Using the KDLE as a benchmark, our study demonstrates that although LLMs have not yet reached human-level performance in overall scores, both Claude3-Opus and ChatGPT-4 exceed the cut-off scores and perform exceptionally well in specific subjects.

Clinical Relevance

Our findings will aid in evaluating the feasibility of integrating LLMs into dentistry to improve the quality and availability of dental services by offering patient information that meets the basic competency standards of a dentist.