Artificial intelligence avatars are being implemented in classes at the University of Colorado (CU) Anschutz to help dental students sharpen the finer points of their future profession: communicating with patients, according to a news article from the dental school.
The avatars represent a new generation of virtual patients that grew out of CU’s Dental Advanced Simulation Hub. The avatars, John and Judy, are being introduced to students in classes such as “Assessment of the Dental Patient” and “Who Can Consent? Navigating Guardianship and Power of Attorney in Geriatric Dental Care.” Other forms of curriculum integration are planned.
John and Judy simulate common interactions, including patient intake and mental health screening. The avatars are designed to offer students structured, low-risk opportunities to build and refine their communication skills early in their training.
“We’re not just simulating patients -- we’re simulating how patients actually behave,” Clint Carlson, MS, developer of the avatars and director of education technology innovations for the CU Office of Medical Education and CU Anschutz Dental, said. “Patients don’t always know what’s relevant to share,” Carlson said. “We’re teaching students how to uncover the full story.”
In one scenario -- reviewing a patient’s medical history -- the avatars don’t fully disclose relevant information. The interaction is designed to elicit additional follow-up questions and probing from dental students to gain a thorough understanding of the patient’s medical history. Based on their virtual interactions, students then hone their communication skills before working with actual patients.
Other avatars -- Jessica, Greg, and Shawn -- virtually guide dental students through conducting mental health screenings and navigating emotionally sensitive conversations. These interactions seek to help students develop empathy and clarity.
The university plans to launch other avatars, with characters like George and Linda, who simulate an older patient, accompanied by a caregiver, seeking care. These interactions are designed to model real-world situations in which communicating with a patient may be limited and may involve other people, such as a family member or caregiver, to reach a satisfactory conclusion.
Carlson also envisions future dental students working with augmented reality in simulated operatories. He and the university are working on real-time language translation and real-time scenarios that aid dental students in honing their communication skills.
“We’re moving toward a world where these avatars are in the room with you. This is about experiential training -- learning by doing, anytime and anywhere,” Carlson added.
