HKU Dentistry launches Dental AI Community Care Project
The ageing population is placing a significant strain on Hong Kong's dental healthcare system. The scarcity of dental professionals exacerbates this issue, with approximately 3.7 dentists serving every 10,000 residents. According to the "Shortfall in Public Dental Services" report submitted by the Secretary of Health to the Legislative Council in 2022, people need to wait between 12 to 18 months for routine oral check-ups at government clinics. More complex procedures like root canal treatments and fillings can extend waiting times to a concerning 39 months. As a result, this prolonged waiting period impedes the prompt treatment of urgent dental issues.
A research team from the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) has developed GUM AI, an innovative solution combining mobile health and artificial intelligence technology. This tool assists in oral health screenings, providing customised oral care guidance to the elderly. It not only reduces the time and cost associated with traditional dental check-ups and lengthy appointment waits but also enables early detection of oral health issues.
GUM AI's oral check-up service takes only a few seconds to analyse the health of teeth and gums, enhancing efficiency. The results are colour-coded for clarity – red indicates poor oral health, yellow suggests caution, and green signifies good health. This simplifies the process for both the dental team and elderly patients, aiding in the quick identification of potential oral issues for immediate treatment. Through continuous data collection and refinement, the team is confident that GUM AI technology can accurately analyse oral problems. A comparison of GUM AI detection and dentist validation, involving over 500 potential participants' intraoral photographs, indicates that the technology's accuracy rate exceeds 90%. This emphasises its credibility in addressing the dental manpower shortage.
To extend services to more underserved communities, HKU Faculty of Dentistry, with the support of the Lions Club of Tsing Ma Hong Kong, the Offices of Legislative Councillors Chan Pui-leung and Tang Ka-piu, the Offices of District Councillor Yu Siu-lun and Chu Lok-wai, the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions Hong Ling Society, and China Taiping Insurance (HK) Company Limited, has initiated the Dental AI Community Care Project. This initiative unites the medical community, political representatives, and the local community in a collaborative effort.
Harnessing artificial intelligence, trained volunteers from the HKU dental student body and local service teams will deliver oral and gum check-ups, as well as customised home oral hygiene advice for elderly individuals, based on results from GUM AI. This project will involve volunteers visiting three locations over a three-month period to provide gum detection services. These locations include the activity room at Hing Tin Estate in Lam Tin, the Clubhouse of Sceneway Garden Estate, and either the Tsui Ping Centre of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions Hong Ling Society or the Sau Mau Ping Community Hall. Each service will offer oral examinations to between 60 and 80 elderly individuals, providing them with valuable advice on their dental concerns.
Optimising Dental Care with GUM AI
GUM AI empowers non-dental professionals to assess the gum health of the elderly, thereby reducing dependence on dentists and decreasing patient wait times for check-ups. The user-friendly system provides easy-to-understand results. With appropriate training, volunteers can adeptly use GUM AI for oral check-ups and offer personalised advice to the elderly. This approach allows dental professionals to focus on patients with severe oral conditions, effectively reducing waiting times and ensuring those with serious dental issues receive proper treatment.
Employing AI to detect and address dental issues early can reduce long-term healthcare costs for both the elderly and the government. The Department of Health's survey reveals that more than half of the elderly using long-term care services suffer from dental issues. However, some avoid dental check-ups due to financial constraints. Neglecting and postponing dental care can exacerbate oral diseases, leading to higher treatment costs, significant use of dental resources, and the discomfort of tooth extraction. AI-assisted dental check-ups can help circumvent these issues, thus conserving both personal and societal resources.
Furthermore, the service will be available in easily accessible locations such as elderly centres and community halls, which is convenient for seniors with mobility limitations. By situating services in familiar facilities where regular activities occur, dental check-ups are made more accessible to those who find travel to distant dental clinics challenging.
Vision and Long-term Goals
This project aims to improve elderly oral health awareness through regular AI dental check-ups, results feedback, and health education. The goal is to encourage seniors to prioritise daily oral hygiene, thus improving their overall health, preventing oral diseases, and fostering good oral hygiene habits. Additionally, the widespread and regular use of GUM AI oral health checks will mitigate the effects of dentist shortages, reduce dental check-up wait times, and ensure that the elderly receive appropriate services.
The objective of this project is to establish a multi-party platform with the collaboration of District Council members' offices, academic institutions, and enterprises to gradually expand the service coverage of GUM AI. In the future, the service aims to be extended to all 18 districts in Hong Kong, enabling more seniors to benefit from convenient and efficient oral health management services and to realise the goal of "prevention is better than cure".
