Bridging the information gap in pediatric dentistry: a comparison of ChatGPT-4o, Google Gemini Advanced, and expert responses based on evaluations by parents and pediatric dentists

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy and adequacy of responses provided by ChatGPT-4o and Google Gemini Advanced to common pediatric dentistry questions posed by parents, and to compare these responses with those given by pediatric dentistry experts. Methods: Fifty-seven questions were extracted from the “Frequently Asked Questions by Parents” section of the International Association of Paediatric Dentistry (IAPD) website. Based on a preliminary survey of 20 pediatric dentists, the 15 most frequently asked questions were selected. For each question, three responses (from experts, ChatGPT-4o and Google Gemini Advanced) were collected and assessed for readability using the Flesch-Kincaid test. The responses were then randomized and included in a survey completed by 47 pediatric dentists and 101 parents, who rated the adequacy of each answer on a scale from 1 (insufficient) to 10 (very sufficient). Results: Pediatric dentists consistently rated expert answers higher than Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated responses, with significant differences observed for 13 out of 15 questions (p < 0.05). In contrast, parents showed varying levels of satisfaction, with no significant differences found in their ratings for eight of the questions. In some instances, AI-generated answers were rated comparably or even higher than expert responses by parents. Conclusions: The alignment between expert opinions and AI-generated responses remained inconsistent. While pediatric dentists generally found expert answers more satisfactory, parents occasionally preferred chatbot-generated answers depending on the question. These findings suggested that AI-powered chatbots hold promise for the future of patient education in pediatric dentistry, though expert oversight remains essential.

Pediatric dentistry; Orthodontics; Artifical intelligence; ChatGPT-4o; Google Gemini Advanced

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