How Dentistry Is Leading the Enterprise Revolution
AI in healthcare often lives in theory. In dentistry, it’s already in daily practice. More than 50,000 providers and eight of the top ten largest DSOs in North America use VideaAI by VideaHealth, shifting the conversation from potential to performance. Heartland Dental, for example, adopted the platform across 1,500 supported locations in just 10 weeks, proving that AI can scale seamlessly across enterprise operations, deliver consistent clinical support, and strengthen patient trust. For DSO leaders, dentistry shows what it looks like when AI becomes standard care rather than a pilot program.
Heartland Dental: Enterprise Proof in Action
Heartland Dental, the largest DSO in the U.S., became the proving ground for AI at scale. Within weeks, the platform was not only rolled out but also embraced. With adoption across nearly every supported practice, VideaAI quickly became part of the clinical workflow rather than an added step.
Dr. Seth Gibree, Senior Director of Clinical AI and Innovation, underscores the impact, “When integrated with clinician expertise, AI diagnostics provide valuable assistance, helping dentists detect issues earlier and enabling less invasive care that enhances patients’ well-being and promotes overall long-term health.”
For multi-site leaders, Heartland’s experience signals something bigger: AI is not a side tool—it’s an operational backbone that scales without compromise.
- Scale That Moves Markets: VideaAI powers more than 50,000 providers and eight of the top ten largest DSOs in North America, proving that AI can operate at full enterprise scale, embedded into every workflow.
- Rapid Adoption: Heartland achieved 95%+ user adoption in just 10 weeks, showing that clinicians adopt and trust AI when it delivers real value.
- Results You Can Measure: Improved treatment acceptance, stronger patient trust, fewer missed diagnoses, and reduced administrative burden demonstrate measurable impact.
These enterprise wins aren’t just numbers; they play out at the chairside every day. Dr. Tim Quirt, SVP of Clinical Operations, explains, “Our supported clinicians use VideaAI every day to detect details even the most observant human could miss, while retaining complete control of treatment planning.”
Operational Impact That Scales
The benefits of AI extend far beyond individual patient encounters. Nearly 60% of patients say they feel more confident in their dentist when AI tools are used. These measurable outcomes translate into fewer missed diagnoses, better clinical results, and reduced costs associated with delayed or complex treatments.
AI also tackles the persistent staffing crunch. In early 2024, nearly 40% of private dental practices were actively recruiting assistants, with most describing the process as augment human capacity, democratize data, and reduce clinician burnout.
By 2027, Gartner projects that AI will cut clinical documentation time in half, amplifying efficiency without proportional increases in staffing. For dental organizations, this goes beyond a point solution and marks a full-scale operational shift that delivers measurable results across the enterprise.
Policy and Payment Momentum
Dentistry’s AI adoption also reflects a larger policy trend: incentivizing prevention. Regulators and payers are encouraging early detection to reduce downstream costs, and dental practices with AI-driven diagnostics are well positioned under these value-based care models. Dentistry is also emerging as a test case for AI transparency and accountability, helping set standards for how patients experience AI across healthcare. For example, insurers are beginning to reimburse claims supported by AI findings, while professional associations are piloting guidelines that ensure patients understand when AI is used in their care.
What to Look for in a Dental AI Platform
As practices explore AI solutions, it’s clear that not all platforms are created equal. The most effective tools are FDA-cleared, clinically validated, and built to meet the highest standards of compliance and data privacy. They are seamlessly integrated into existing workflows and designed with patient trust in mind. They provide intuitive visuals for communication, robust reporting at every level, and proven scalability across enterprise DSOs.
Choosing the right partner means selecting a solution that elevates both clinical precision and the patient experience, without introducing new barriers.
Dentistry: A Blueprint for Healthcare AI
The story of dental AI isn’t just about better X-rays—it’s about building trust, supporting clinicians, and making preventive care the norm. Dentistry is already doing what the rest of healthcare is still debating: proving AI works at enterprise scale.
If AI can transform one of the most anxiety-filled visits in healthcare into a moment of clarity and confidence, it’s not hard to imagine how this model could reshape medicine more broadly. The dental chair may well be where healthcare AI proves its true value.
Sources:
The 2025 State of America’s Oral Health and Wellness Report. Delta Dental.
State of the U.S. Healthcare Workforce 2024. Bureau of Health Workforce.
Predicts 2024: Healthcare Delivery, AI’s Proving Grounds. Gartner.
