Exploring Senior Dental Students' Readiness and Perceptions of Artificial Intelligence in Dentistry: Insights From a Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly influencing dentistry; however, senior dental students' readiness to understand and use AI remains insufficiently explored in underrepresented settings. This study assessed knowledge, perceptions, attitudes, and readiness toward AI among senior dental students in Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 168 senior dental students using an expert-reviewed and pilot-tested questionnaire adapted from previously used instruments. AI-related readiness was assessed using a descriptive knowledge/use index and two normalized composite scores: perception/clinical-application and attitude/future-expectation scores. Internal consistency was assessed for the two multi-item composite scores. RESULTS: Self-rated AI knowledge was moderate in 45.2% of students and high in 11.9%, while prior involvement in AI-related development or projects was limited (5.4%). The knowledge/use index was low (0.25 ± 0.20), indicating limited practical exposure and familiarity. In contrast, the perception/clinical-application score was high (0.69 ± 0.16), with favorable views particularly toward implant planning, radiographic caries detection, quality control, and diagnosis and treatment planning. The attitude/future-expectation score was also high (0.69 ± 0.26), indicating positive expectations regarding the future role of AI in dentistry. The perception/clinical-application score showed acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.78), while the attitude/future-expectation score showed high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.86). No statistically significant differences were observed in knowledge/use, perception/clinical-application, or attitude/future-expectation scores according to gender or year of study. CONCLUSION: Senior dental students demonstrated favorable perceptions and expectations toward AI in dentistry, particularly for diagnostic and treatment-related applications. However, practical exposure and AI-related use were limited, and concerns remained regarding empathy, accountability, ethical issues, and human oversight. Because this was an Erbil-based convenience sample, the findings should be interpreted cautiously and may not generalize to all dental students.