AI Software Can Automate Dentistry Diagnosis Process

AI Software Can Automate Dentistry Diagnosis Process

Many industries use digital devices to improve and accelerate processes nowadays, but not all of them have fully implemented artificial intelligence in a way that can be considered a groundbreaking innovation yet, said co-founder of Ideavers Andrea Vecci in an interview with ICTbusiness.info.

According to him, their research shows that dentists spend valuable time and money performing recurrent tasks required by their regular workflow and dealing with current and potential customers and this can be changed with use of AI in everyday work.

They lose valuable working hours evaluating dental images taken using digital devices, defining diagnoses, elaborating and presenting detailed treatment plans to potential clients instead of using that time to treat their patients effectively, Vecci explained.

Many industries are being digitalized and transformed very quickly at this time; some would say digitally transformed. You are working on a solution for dental medicine. What exactly is it about?

To answer your initial question, I would distinguish digital transformation from AI implementation. Many industries use digital devices to improve and accelerate processes nowadays, but not all of them have fully implemented artificial intelligence in a way that can be considered a groundbreaking innovation yet. Sure, the world is running fast and this will happen very soon. In dental care for example, we are in the “digital dentistry“ era now. Every dentist uses x-ray devices of various types and sizes to scan a patient’s teeth. Few companies around the world are developing software based on AI for dentistry. As Ideavers, we are one of them because we are developing a software which will automate the diagnosis process from beginning to end. We aim at evolving “digital dentistry“ into “Intelligent Dentistry“. Therefore, it’s not a coincidence that our slogan is “Intelligent Dentistry Evolution“.

What problems have you detected and how will technology benefit you - from machine learning to artificial intelligence?

Our research shows that dentists spend valuable time and money performing recurrent tasks required by their regular workflow and dealing with current and potential customers. They lose valuable working hours evaluating dental images taken using digital devices, defining diagnoses, elaborating and presenting detailed treatment plans to potential clients instead of using that time to treat their patients effectively. Dental practices sustain additional costs of hiring and training multiple administrative assistants dedicated to engaging clients and provide them with information. Our software will benefit dentists around the world because we take an automated approach to dental care that favors efficiency above all. To this end, Ideavers will assists dental practices in increasing the number of treated patients and reducing operating time and costs soon. In this manner, we also increase the quality of treatment, decrease the amount of work for dentists and allow them to give customers a leap in value by personalizing their dental care experience. But more important, our offering makes it possible for dental care providers to reduce their cost structure, thus allowing them to be more profitable.

What stage of your software solution are you at?

We created the cornerstone of our neural network already. We started with the damaged roots pathology. It was chosen based on our business research in the Croatian test market. Our engine can detect it with an accuracy of 90% in classification and more than 75% in object detection. We are working hard to improve those numbers and to add more pathologies and make the software saleable.
How is the model trained based on the inserted data (recordings)?

First, we fully complied with GDPR rules and regulations as we used anonymized data to develop what we have today. We utilize a machine learning algorithm system created by our engineers in which the software computes the image features that are believed to be of importance in making the prediction of the diagnosis of interest. The neural network can identify the best combination of image features for classification of the diagnosis.

How have you financed your startup project so far and what are your plans and expectations? Are you planning to find investors and what do you expect from them?

Yes. Ideavers Croatia is backed by Ideavers LLC, an American startup based in the State of Delaware. We had private investors who provided with the funds necessary to be at the point where we are now. We expect to generate excitement about this business in Europe and find investors in this part of the world too. We are ready to welcome extraordinary business partners and personnel who share the same vision that we have on board.

We decided to establish the EU headquarters in Zagreb because we think that Croatia is the right place where to continue this project. Our market research and experience show that Croatian dentists are early adopters of new advanced technology: most of them value efficiency above all. They realize well how important it is to adopt an accelerated workflow and consider it a crucial necessity to remain competitive. As a matter of facts, their business thrives with serving international clients arriving from abroad to obtain quality treatments at a reasonable price. If dental practices invest money in new devices for the computerization of as many working procedures as possible, then for the same reason, we can expect them to embrace the benefits of Artificial Intelligence and automated workflow enthusiastically. Therefore, we consider Croatia a suitable environment for the development and the testing of the AI applications and a good market for the first sales.

When do you expect the completion of the software solution?

This is sort of confidential information, however what I can say to you is that we expect to start serving the EU market by the middle of 2022.