Dear colleagues,
This may be your first introduction to the American Academy of Artificial Intelligence in Dentistry, and if you’re reading this, you’re already part of an important conversation.
Over the past few years, I’ve had many discussions with colleagues across dentistry—clinicians, educators, researchers, students, and industry partners. Different roles, different settings, but a shared question kept surfacing: Where do we come together to think about AI in dentistry in a thoughtful, independent way?
AI has begun to enter our profession, yet the ways we learn about it, support research, and talk through its implications have felt scattered. Good work is happening, but often in isolation. Education varies. Research efforts don’t always connect. Independent thinking exists, but without a shared home.
That gap mattered.
Dentistry needed a place for open education, independent thought, and shared learning. A place to support research and examine evidence openly. A place where we could bring our collective experience together rather than working in parallel.
That’s why the American Academy of Artificial Intelligence in Dentistry was created.
AAAI-D exists to help the profession learn together and prepare responsibly as AI becomes more relevant to how we practice, teach, and care for patients. The focus is practical understanding, evidence-informed dialogue, and collaboration grounded in professional responsibility.
What has been especially encouraging is how many colleagues immediately recognized this need. The support from our Founding Advisory Board and Council leaders—both in the United States and internationally—has been remarkable. Their diversity of experience, from emerging researchers to seasoned leaders, reflects a shared commitment to moving dentistry forward thoughtfully and together.
Why this matters is straightforward.
Most of us chose dentistry because we care about people, about standards, and about doing the right thing. As AI becomes part of our professional landscape, those values will guide how it is understood, taught, and used. The way we engage now will shape whether this technology strengthens trust and care for years to come.
If you’ve ever felt these conversations deserved a better home, I hope you’ll see this Academy as yours. Your curiosity, your judgment, and your willingness to engage are exactly what this moment calls for. Let’s come together and get this right—together.
Warmly,
Owais A. Farooqi, DDS, MDS, MPH, FACHE
President
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