Perceptions of Artificial Intelligence-Based Documentation in Dental Hygiene Clinical Education and Patient-Provider Connection: A pilot study.

Purpose Clinical documentation is a critical competency in dental hygiene (DH) education, yet its administrative burden often detracts from patient care. The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the perceived impact of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) - assisted documentation system on student workflow efficiency and patient-provider connection to determine students' perceived value of AI integration in the DH curriculum.Methods A prospective, pilot study was conducted with second-year DH students (n = 33) during the Spring 2025 term. Participants used an AI platform designed to convert real-time clinician-patient dialogue into structured notes. Data were collected via self-administered questionnaires at three intervals: baseline, mid-rotation (1 month), and post-rotation (3 months). Outcomes included perceived documentation efficiency, note quality, and patient-provider communication. Data were analyzed using Friedman and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests.Results Baseline data confirmed that traditional documentation hindered workflow (97.0%) and patient-provider connection (81.1%). While mid-rotation results showed only modest improvements, significant shifts occurred by the post-rotation period. Perceived documentation efficiency increased significantly (p = 0.014), with 48.0% of students reporting significant and extreme improvement. Perceived quality of patient connection also improved significantly (p = 0.038), particularly between the mid- and post-rotation phases (p = 0.016). Furthermore, satisfaction with note quality rose substantially (p = 0.005), and initial concerns about the transition to microphone-based recording shifted to broad acceptance.Conclusions Integration of AI-assisted documentation into DH education is highly valued by students. Benefits to efficiency and patient-provider connection emerge following a period of sustained clinical exposure. These findings suggest that AI tools can mitigate administrative burdens, allowing students to prioritize patient-centered care and clinical skill development.