RALEIGH, N.C. — Artificial intelligence is becoming part of the dental routine at one North Carolina practice, where new tools are helping dentists document and diagnose more efficiently and potentially catch problems sooner.

What You Need To Know

  • About 50% of adults over 30 have chronic periodontitis (gum disease), according to the American Dental Association

  • The National Institutes of Health estimates that AI applications could reduce annual health care costs in the United States by $150 billion in 2026

  • Companies like Pearl AI have their technologies used in over 100 countries

Dr. Macon Singletary at North Raleigh Periodontics is using a voice-activated system called the Florida Probe that records exam data in real time without the need for an assistant to enter notes manually.

“The Florida Probe really makes my time more efficient,” Singletary said. “My assistant would be able to go somewhere else and sterilize instruments or get another room prepped.”

The system color codes exam results for easier interpretation. Red indicates bleeding, yellow shows pus, and it tracks a patient’s gum health over time.

Another tool, VoiceWorks, listens as he talks through a headset and automatically formats his clinical notes during the appointment. The program takes his audio and organizes it into a structured record that’s easy to review.

“Pretty much summarizes all that I’ve done in a format that is easy for the dentist to see, as well as the patient,” Singletary said.

These tools don’t just improve workflow behind the scenes. For patients, it can mean shorter appointments, clearer communication and better long-term tracking of dental health.

One of the newer pieces of technology in his office is Pearl AI, which scans dental X-rays to flag areas that could be signs of trouble.

“I wouldn’t be able to see that with my naked eye. The Pearl AI will pick it up,” Singletary said.

He emphasized that AI tools still require human judgment and should not replace professional expertise. From his experience, Pearl AI can be overaggressive and sometimes flag areas of decay that aren’t actually there.

“If you talk about saving time, it actually takes me a little bit more time. It makes me more accurate because I have to go check this,” he said.

Singletary’s office also uses AI platforms like ChatGPT to help write and analyze insurance claims. He says the future of dentistry will likely include even more automation with systems that generate diagnoses by combining clinical and imaging data. Looking ahead, he sees technology as a tool to enhance care, not replace it.

“There’s got to be a human being, guiding, in all that, or at least interpreting the information and putting it in in a way that would be accurate and good delivery for the patient,” he said.