Artificial Intelligence in Preventive Dentistry: From Clinical Support to Patient-Centered Care

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming preventive dentistry by supporting diagnostic processes, treatment planning, patient monitoring, and oral health education. Beyond its clinical use, AI is also influencing the social and relational dimensions of healthcare, contributing to more personalized and patient-centered care. This narrative review explores the role of AI in preventive dentistry, with particular emphasis on clinical decision-making, patient engagement, and preventive care pathways. A literature search was conducted in PubMed and Scopus to identify English-language studies published between January 2021 and August 2026 addressing AI applications in oral healthcare, prevention, patient-centered care, and healthcare education. Current evidence indicates that AI-based technologies may facilitate the early detection of oral diseases and support personalized prevention strategies. In periodontology, AI has shown potential to assist diagnosis, disease monitoring, risk assessment, and adherence to preventive interventions. AI-based educational tools can support oral health literacy and encourage active patient participation in care. Despite these potential benefits, challenges remain, including data privacy concerns, algorithmic bias, ethical governance, and unequal access to digital technologies. Overall, AI should be considered a complementary tool rather than a replacement for healthcare professionals, contributing to more effective, ethical, patient-centered, and multidisciplinary models of preventive oral healthcare.