SHENZHEN has launched China’s first AI-based student oral health management platform, according to the local chronic disease prevention and control center Wednesday, the eve of World Oral Health Day.

With technical support from Shenzhen Great Health Technology Co. Ltd., the platform has analyzed nearly 240,000 intraoral photos of nearly 60,000 students to date.

Dental cavities are listed as the third most common disease in humans. With an estimated prevalence rate of about 45%, they affect nearly 3.5 billion people worldwide.

With this AI “dentist,” parents can conduct oral examinations for their children from home. After examining photos of children’s teeth uploaded by parents, the AI platform directly circles the problematic teeth on the photos, which can help doctors immediately locate bad teeth when conducting treatment.

A mother surnamed Li, a resident of Futian District, praised the platform for its convenience after using it for her 8-year-old daughter.

“All I had to do was take a panoramic photo of my daughter’s mouth and upload it to the platform,” she said. “Within three seconds, I received a detailed message on my phone indicating which teeth needed treatment and even suggesting specific actions.”

Li then made an appointment with a designated oral clinic near her home through the platform and took her child there for treatment the next day.

“In the past, it would take a whole day for a doctor to screen a class of students in a school. Now, with the platform, it only takes three seconds to screen a child,” said Xiong Jingfan, director of the department of child and adolescent health at the city’s chronic disease prevention and control center.

Li Juhong, an oral physician at the center, screened 1,200 students at a primary school in Luohu District in just two days with the aid of the platform. The AI identified 786 cases that needed care, with accuracy rates surpassing 96%.

The AI “dentist” not only examines teeth but also corrects brushing techniques in real-time. The platform includes an AI-enabled smart toothbrush with built-in sensors that can monitor in real-time whether children are brushing their teeth correctly and generate a “brushing report.” (SD News)