Properly Preparing the Dentists of the Future

Dental education is in the midst of a rapid digital transformation. Over the past decade, the clinical tools, diagnostic workflows, and patient communication methods available to dentists have been fundamentally reshaped by emerging technologies, from intraoral scanning and 3D printing to artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR). For dental educators, this presents a dual challenge: to teach the current technologies with confidence while preparing students for a future that will bring new developments beyond what is available today. And with technology redefining dental education, dental educators need to be aware of the most impactful tools currently shaping curricula and address the pedagogical and practical challenges of keeping pace with this ever-changing landscape.

Digital Technologies Reshaping Dental Practice and Education

Modern dentistry operates in an increasingly digitized environment that has not only transformed clinical efficiency and outcomes but also altered the very skills and competencies that new graduates must possess in order to be practice-ready (Table). When it comes to digital technology, the challenges that dental schools and educators face are different from those of practicing dentists. Older practitioners were only taught traditional skills in dental school, but throughout their practice, they have been exposed to new and emerging technologies and had time to adapt. Some of the earlier digital technologies that were embraced include digital radiography and electronic health record systems. Until more recently, the pace of this adaptation has been deliberate, allowing for a progressive integration of systems and learning time while transitioning.

Today’s dental students are digital natives; they were raised with an abundance of technology around them, the most ubiquitous of which is the smartphone. Individuals from this generation are largely very comfortable with technology, rarely rely on any directions for its use, and are accustomed to playing with systems and software until they gain competency. The challenge for dental schools is that many of their educators are from a different era. Some faculty members are afraid of emerging technology. They hesitate to embrace new tools until it becomes “necessary,” and their confidence declines as they reckon with the gap in technological proficiency between them and their students. Even those who are willing are often slow to adapt; however, we are in a different era of accelerated demand from students.

One shared opportunity for dental schools and practicing dentists is the use of AI platforms, which have enhanced the utility of almost all emergent technologies. For example, digital radiographs can now be read and interpreted by AI to aid in the detection of periodontal disease, decay, and certain other pathoses.

Technology for the Classroom and Simulation Lab

There are many technologies that dental education programs can integrate to better prepare students for the realities of clinical practice.

Virtual Simulation and Haptics

Preclinical (simulation) education has seen a revolution through the use of VR- and AR-based simulators that allow students to perform procedures in a virtual environment with haptic feedback that mimics tactile sensation. These platforms offer significant pedagogical advantages, including safe, repeatable practice scenarios, immediate feedback and error tracking, and standardization across instructors. They also support the development of psychomotor skills early in the curriculum, enhancing student readiness for live patient care.

Digital Curriculum Delivery

The shift to hybrid and flipped classrooms has been accelerated by the accessibility of multimedia learning tools. Platforms such as Canvas, Brightspace, and other learning management systems allow faculty to integrate recorded lectures and video demonstrations, interactive case studies, self-paced learning modules, and more. These advancements provide flexibility, enhance student engagement, and help to accommodate diverse learning styles and schedules.

Digital Assessments and Analytics

Assessments, including objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs), can utilize digital platforms to track student performance, provide structured feedback, and even analyze trends over time. Furthermore, these analytics can help identify areas that need improvement in instruction, faculty calibration, and curriculum revision.

Artificial Intelligence in Simulation Teaching

AI can be integrated into instruction, assessment, and lifelong learning strategies, including the following:

• Personalized learning paths. AI-driven learning platforms can adapt content to each student’s progress, providing reinforcement in weak areas, advanced content for high performers, and real-time feedback during quizzes or simulations. This personalization helps educators manage diverse learning paces and supports mastery-based education.

• Virtual teaching assistants. AI chatbots and voice-activated assistants can serve as 24/7 resources for students—answering questions, explaining concepts, and guiding them through procedures or theoretical frameworks. This supplements faculty bandwidth and empowers students to learn independently.

• Automated feedback on simulation performance. Schools can use computer vision and AI to evaluate student posture, instrument angulation, and procedural steps during simulated exercises, introducing a level of precision and consistency that is rarely possible with traditional evaluation methods. Furthermore, using machine-learning models, systems can now analyze handpiece movement, procedural timing, and the precision of digital scans. By comparing student performance to ideal benchmarks, AI can provide consistent detailed feedback to support human evaluators.

Clinical Integration of Technology

Today, it is imperative that dental students continue to learn the traditional skills while also learning to use new digital tools. They should become competent clinicians with the ability to use various technologies in clinical settings, including cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), digital charting and treatment planning, intraoral scanning, extraoral scanning, CAD/CAM, and 3D printing. These experiences enhance students’ knowledge beyond traditional practice and allow them to work effectively in a digitally enabled clinical environment.

AI-powered diagnostic platforms

Many emerging programs incorporate AI to enhance diagnostics, assisting with radiographic interpretation, caries detection, and periodontal and bone loss measurements, as well as treatment planning. These platforms should be used to test students’ knowledge in the early days of clinical exposure and then gradually to enhance their traditional diagnostic skills.

Predictive Analytics for Early  Clinical Intervention

It is entirely possible that AI can be used to identify patterns in student performance across courses and assessments to flag those at risk of academic struggle or clinical underperformance. This could help to facilitate earlier support, tutoring, or remediation.

Challenges and Considerations

When providing education on digital technology, there are many challenges and other considerations, including the following:

• Keeping the curriculum current. One of the biggest challenges is the rapid pace of technological change. Hardware and software platforms can evolve faster than traditional curriculum cycles. Schools must find ways to integrate emerging technologies without compromising foundational skills. Another challenge is that the learning curve can be steep, especially when training in a particular technology is not fully integrated across disciplines.

• Faculty calibration and development. Faculty may not have been trained in many of the digital tools now entering practice. Faculty development programs, ongoing certification, and collaborative teaching models (ie, pairing tech-savvy educators with clinically experienced ones) are vital to successful implementation. Faculty development and calibration should be continuous and include ongoing efforts that provide a supportive environment without making anyone feel intimidated or overwhelmed.

• Cost and access. The financial investment required to equip dental schools with advanced technologies can be significant. Disparities in access can lead to uneven training quality across institutions or regions.

• Not losing touch. Although digital tools offer many benefits, it’s critical to avoid overemphasizing technology at the expense of humanistic care. Communication, empathy, critical thinking, and ethics must remain central pillars of dental education. Technology should enhance, not replace, the clinician’s judgment and patient connection.

The Role of Accreditation Bodies and New Directions

Organizations such as the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) and other global regulatory bodies may be challenged to adapt their standards to reflect the digital shift within competency-based outcomes. Looking ahead, the integration of data science, biomedical engineering, and ethics into the dental curriculum may become further enhanced. Tomorrow’s dentists will not only operate digital tools but also help to design, evaluate, and govern them.

Our Future: Educating for the Unknown

Dental schools can no longer just teach traditional procedures. They need to cultivate professionals who are adaptive, digitally fluent, and capable of critical decision-making in a fast-changing world. Industry leaders should partner with dental schools to support them with emerging technologies. The technologies discussed here represent remarkable opportunities to enhance learning and elevate patient care. But with that opportunity comes the responsibility to use technology thoughtfully, equitably, and in ways that empower both students and patients.
To succeed in this mission, dental schools must invest in faculty development, curricular flexibility, and infrastructure. Just as importantly, they must instill in students a mindset
of lifelong learning and a comfort with uncertainty. Because in the world of digital dentistry, the only constant is change.

Leila Jahangiri, BDS, DMD, MMSc
Ira E. Klein Professor and Chair
Department of Prosthodontics
New York University College of Dentistry
New York, New York