I took the plunge many years ago. Quit clinical work and dedicated myself to developing and emerging technologies. Was a difficult decision but I knew that’s where everything was headed.

Hate to say this, but being in the industry I can tell you that the public should be more terrified of people than the robots. Sure robots can make mistakes, but humans make many, many more.

There are already some products in use, Yomi is an FDA approved robotic solution for dental implant surgery. I have also seen a robot for automatic crown preps but it’s still in development.

Intraoral scanner companies have invested heavily in AI; first for better scan results, now for diagnostics and treatment planning.

And that’s just the start of it, it’s honestly been a privilege to be able to peek behind the curtain and see what’s coming next, it’s really amazing.

Like others said, working with Universities and research institutes is a great way to contribute your knowledge and potentially build something game changing. Good luck!