--- title: Researchers urge caution over use of AI dental speech recognition technology description: AI speech tools could revolutionise dental record-keeping – but caution is needed, King’s College London study finds image: https://dentist-times.co.uk/hubfs/technology-7111795_1280.jpg --- [![DTOC RGB Logo-1](https://dentist-times.co.uk/hubfs/DTOC%20RGB%20Logo-1.svg "DTOC RGB Logo-1")](https://dentist-times.co.uk/home) - [ABOUT](https://dentist-times.co.uk/about) - [NEWS](https://dentist-times.co.uk) - [EVENTS](https://dentist-times.co.uk/events) - [PARTNERS](https://dentist-times.co.uk/partners-dtoc) - [CONTACT](https://dentist-times.co.uk/contact) [King’s College London](https://dentist-times.co.uk/dentist-times-owners-club-insights/tag/kings-college-london) # Researchers urge caution over use of AI dental speech recognition technology ![technology-7111795_1280](https://dentist-times.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/technology-7111795_1280.jpg?width=1280&height=771&name=technology-7111795_1280.jpg) A new study from King’s College London has revealed that artificial intelligence (AI) automatic speech recognition (ASR) tools could dramatically improve how dental professionals record patient information, saving time and reducing administrative burden. However, while transcriptional accuracy of these tools is high, they can struggle with more-technical language and their reliability is not currently sufficient to support unreviewed use. The findings were recently published in the *Journal of Dental Research*. Researchers tested 10 different ASR systems to see how well they could transcribe spoken orthodontic clinical records into written text. The best-performing system was an experimental pipeline combining OpenAI’s GPT-4o transcription with a large language model for error correction, closely followed by the Heidi Health digital scribe and GPT4oTranscribe speech-to-text application programming interface. ### **Why this matters** Dentists spend significant time typing up clinical notes, often during the consultation, which can reduce face-to-face time with patients. ASR tools can allow clinicians to dictate their clinical notes naturally, freeing them up to focus more on direct interaction with the patient. The most-advanced systems were found to be faster and more accurate than manual typing, with up to 60% in time savings. ### **Key findings** The AI-enhanced experimental pipeline (GPT4oTranscribeCorrected) had the lowest error rate, especially with technical dental terms. Commercial systems like Heidi Health also performed well, but others, such as Dragon Anywhere, had high error rates and even introduced clinically-significant mistakes, the researchers found. Background noise and accent had minimal impact on the best systems, making them suitable for real-world clinical settings. ### **Caution remains** While the technology is promising, researchers warn that clinically-significant errors, such as misidentifying teeth or treatment plans, can still occur. And they recommend a ‘human-in-the-loop’ approach, where clinicians review and edit transcripts rather than relying on them blindly. Lead author, Ruairi O’Kane, said: “AI speech tools can streamline documentation and improve efficiency, but we must remain vigilant. “Even subtle transcription errors can potentially impact patient care.” ### **What’s next? ** The team suggests future systems should include confidence indicators to flag uncertain terms and be trained on larger, more-diverse dental datasets. Ultimately, the goal is to help clinicians become editors of their notes, not just authors, while maintaining safety and accuracy, the paper states.   calendar icon Oct 28, 2025 10:41:51 AM ![Urgent care scheme revised and reopened](https://dentist-times.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/credit-card-machine-4577769_1280.jpg?width=600&name=credit-card-machine-4577769_1280.jpg) ## [Urgent care scheme revised and reopened](https://dentist-times.co.uk/dentist-times-owners-club-insights/urgent-care-scheme-revised-and-reopened) NHS England has revised and reopened applications to its urgent care scheme, following feedback... ![GDC to recruit new Registrant Council member](https://dentist-times.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/dentist-4373290_1280%20(1).jpg?width=600&name=dentist-4373290_1280%20(1).jpg) ## [GDC to recruit new Registrant Council member](https://dentist-times.co.uk/dentist-times-owners-club-insights/gdc-to-recruit-new-registrant-council-member) The General Dental Council (GDC) has announced it will appoint a Registrant Council member to join... ![GDC register increases to over 47,000 dentists](https://dentist-times.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/dental-2450766_1280.jpg?width=600&name=dental-2450766_1280.jpg) ## [GDC register increases to over 47,000 dentists](https://dentist-times.co.uk/dentist-times-owners-club-insights/gdc-register-increases-to-over-47000-dentists) The number of dentists on the General Dental Council (GDC) register has increased by over 3% to... ![General Dental Council criticised in PSA review](https://dentist-times.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/hand-3999923_1280.jpg?width=600&name=hand-3999923_1280.jpg) ## [General Dental Council criticised in PSA review](https://dentist-times.co.uk/dentist-times-owners-club-insights/general-dental-council-criticised-in-psa-review) The General Dental Council (GDC) has been criticised for failing to meet national standards for... ![DTOC RGB Logo-2](https://dentist-times.co.uk/hubfs/DTOC%20RGB%20Logo-2.svg)![DTOC Rev Logo](https://dentist-times.co.uk/hubfs/DTOC%20Rev%20Logo.svg) The Dentist Times Owners Club is an exclusive, free-to-join community, designed specifically for dental practice owners.    **              Organised by**** Nexus Media Group** ![nmg-logo](https://dentist-times.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/nmg-logo.png?width=174&height=83&name=nmg-logo.png) Registered office: 3rd floor, 10 Rose & Crown Yard, King Street, London SW1Y 6RE ***[https://nexusmediagroup.co.uk/](https://nexusmediagroup.co.uk/)*** Registered in England & Wales No.7430935 VAT Registration Number: 629 547 604        --- © 2025 Dentist Times Owners Club ↑ ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Joanne Makosinski", "url" : "https://dentist-times.co.uk/dentist-times-owners-club-insights/author/joanne-makosinski" }, "dateModified" : "2025-10-28T10:41:51.470Z", "datePublished" : "2025-10-28T10:41:51.000Z", "headline" : "Researchers urge caution over use of AI dental speech recognition technology", "image" : [ "https://dentist-times.co.uk/hubfs/technology-7111795_1280.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://dentist-times.co.uk/dentist-times-owners-club-insights/researchers-urge-caution-over-use-of-ai-dental-speech-recognition-technology", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://dentist-times.co.uk/hubfs/NMG_Black_logo.svg" }, "name" : "Nexus Media Group" } } ```