Practice Affairs Committee members gather for the committee meeting March 8 at AAE Headquarters in Chicago.
On Saturday, March 8, 2025, the Practice Affairs Committee held its annual in-person meeting in Chicago – bringing together the AAE’s advocacy leaders to engage in meaningful discussions on the most pressing issues impacting the specialty. The meeting provided a valuable opportunity for committee members to collaborate and outline strategic advocacy efforts that will shape the future of endodontic care and policy.
Throughout the meeting, committee members had highly productive conversations on strengthening our advocacy initiatives. As emphasized during the discussion, it is imperative that the specialty remain vigilant and responsive to the ever-evolving dynamics affecting the profession. Changes in healthcare policies, economic challenges, and regulatory shifts continue to influence how endodontists provide care, making it critical for AAE to take a proactive stance in advocating for policies that protect and support our members.
The committee outlined a set of key advocacy priorities that will guide the AAE’s advocacy agenda for the 2025 legislative session. Top advocacy priorities for the AAE supported by the PAC and AAE leadership included dental plan reforms, specialty recognition, student loan repayment, and workforce shortages.
The collective insights and expertise shared by our members during the meeting have strengthened our commitment to advocating for meaningful policy changes. By prioritizing these key issues, AAE is working to ensure that the needs of endodontists are represented at every level of policymaking.
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed 28 bills earlier this month, including the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact. (Photo Source: KNWA Fox)
The American Association of Endodontists (AAE) celebrates a major advocacy achievement as Arkansas and Nebraska officially join the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact (DDH Compact). These pieces of legislation, signed into law by Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen in April 2025, streamlines licensure portability for dental professionals, allowing them to practice across participating states with greater ease.
The AAE has played a proactive role in supporting this initiative by submitting letters of support in all states that have introduced the DDH model legislation this legislative session emphasizing the compact’s importance for patient access and professional mobility This legislative session the AAE has proactively engaged in Arizona, Arkansas, Indiana, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, and Vermont.
Arkansas’s and Nebraska’s adoption represents continued momentum toward nationwide implementation of the compact—and a significant win for dental professionals and the patients they serve. The AAE was one of the original supporting organizations of the DDH Compact alongside the Department of Defense, American Dental Association, Council of State Governments, American Dental Education Association, American Association of Orthodontists, and more.
The DDH Compact aims to improve access to dental care, especially in underserved areas—by reducing regulatory barriers and enabling dentists and dental hygienists to respond more rapidly to workforce needs. For an up-to-date view of states that have enacted or are considering the compact, visit the DDH Compact Map.
By Dr. Ammon Anderson
From Saturday, March 26 through Tuesday, April 1, I had the privilege of attending the American Dental Association’s 2025 Dentist and Student Lobby Day in Washington, D.C. Hosted at the Marriott Marquis, the event brought together over a thousand dentists and dental students united in advocacy for oral health policy and the future of our profession.
The weekend began with opportunities to connect with peers and colleagues from across the country—an energizing reminder of the strength and diversity within dentistry. I took full advantage of the ADA’s preparatory lectures, which offered practical guidance on how to effectively lobby legislators, as well as in-depth briefings on the top policy issues of the year. From the DOC Access Act to student loan reform and community water fluoridation, I left feeling informed, confident, and ready to advocate.
One of the most impactful parts of the experience was meeting with my state’s core coalition. We coordinated a plan of attack for our Capitol Hill meetings, mapping out our schedule and identifying key talking points tailored to our senators and representatives. I also had the opportunity to meet and mentor dental students—an inspiring group whose passion reminded me why events like this matter.
A highlight of the trip was a one-on-one conversation with Iowa Representative Randy Feenstra and his top liaison. During our 15-minute meeting, we discussed our profession’s legislative priorities and laid the groundwork for an ongoing relationship that I hope will support local efforts like the Iowa Mission of Mercy and dental plan reform back home.
Events like Lobby Day underscore why supporting ADPAC is critical. As ADA’s bipartisan political action committee, ADPAC ensures our voices are heard where it counts—on Capitol Hill. Whether it’s by contributing financially or showing up in person, our involvement shapes the future of dental policy.
In the end, this experience wasn’t just about federal advocacy, it was about bringing those lessons home and continuing to strengthen dentistry at the state level. I’m grateful to the ADA for organizing such a powerful event, and I’m looking forward to putting what I learned into action.
Dr. Ammon Anderson, with Congressmen Randy Feenstra (IA-4th) and staff at the 2025 ADA Lobby Days in Washington, DC.
The American Association of Endodontists (AAE) is proud to stand alongside the American Dental Association (ADA) and other leading dental specialty organizations in signing a coalition letter advocating for greater fairness in the relationship between dental providers and benefit carriers.
In addition to supporting this joint effort, AAE has launched a grassroots advocacy campaign in support of the Dental and Optometric Care (DOC) Access Act—a bipartisan bill designed to restore balance in provider-carrier relationships. This critical legislation would prohibit dental plans from setting fees for services that are not covered by a patient’s dental insurance plan, ensuring that in-network dentists can determine fair pricing for non-covered services.
Protecting Dentists and Patients from Unfair Business Practices
Under current practices, many dental benefit carriers impose fee caps on procedures they don’t even cover—restricting providers from setting fair, market-based rates for non-covered services. This not only limits practice autonomy and disrupts fair competition, but also negatively impacts patients by reducing access to services or limiting treatment flexibility.
The DOC Access Act seeks to eliminate this overreach by prohibiting insurance companies from dictating fees for services outside their coverage. It ensures that dental professionals can establish appropriate fees based on clinical judgment and patient needs, not insurance mandates.
AAE’s Commitment to Reform
AAE continues to advocate for meaningful reform in dental benefit structures that better support both providers and the patients they serve. The DOC Access Act is a vital step toward restoring balance in provider-carrier relationships. By reinforcing the professional judgment of dental providers and limiting undue influence from dental plans, this legislation helps preserve the quality, accessibility, and integrity of dental care.
AAE will continue to lead these critical efforts—ensuring that the future of dentistry is one where providers are empowered, and patients are prioritized.
Visit the link below to support the DOC Access Act.
Code Maintenance Committee members, ADA staff and observers gather for the committee meeting March 7 at ADA Headquarters in Chicago. (Photo Source, ADA Website)
The American Association of Endodontists (AAE) coding leaders and CMC representatives—Drs. Kayla Tavares Tio, Elizabeth Perry, and Kenneth Wiltbank—advocated for the specialty at the American Dental Association’s (ADA) Code Maintenance Committee (CMC) meeting. Their efforts ensure that endodontics remain a key focus in Current Dental Terminology (CDT) code updates.
Over the past year, AAE coding leaders have collaborated with dental organizations and insurance carriers to refine and enhance CDT codes, streamlining coding practices for endodontists. At this year’s meeting, they reviewed and voted on 60 new and updated codes, shaping the future of dental coding.
One key discussion centered around Code Action Request #7, a proposal for a diagnostic code related to testing for cracked teeth. This initiative could provide valuable data on the prevalence of cracked teeth, the effectiveness of diagnostic methods, and their impact on treatment planning.
The AAE remains steadfast in its advocacy, ensuring that endodontists have the tools they need to provide the highest level of patient care. By actively engaging in the CDT code process, the AAE strengthens its commitment to protecting the specialty, shaping policy, and driving meaningful improvements in dental coding and patient outcomes.
The American Association of Endodontists (AAE) is proud to stand alongside the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) and other leading dental specialty organizations in signing a coalition letter that addresses the escalating financial burdens facing dental residents nationwide. But AAE did not stop there—we launched a grassroots advocacy campaign to support the Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act.
This bipartisan bill allows dental residents to defer student loan payments without accruing interest during their residency training, a significant step toward alleviating the long-term impact of dental school debt and empowering the next generation of dental specialists.
AAE’s Commitment to Reducing Financial Barriers
AAE recognizes that the path to becoming a specialist often requires significant financial investment. Dental students commonly graduate with hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt, and during residency, their ability to repay loans is often limited. Despite working full-time hours, most residents receive only modest stipends. The REDI Act would provide these individuals with interest-free deferment of federal student loans during this critical training period—offering some financial breathing room while they hone the skills necessary to provide high-quality patient care.
Beyond financial relief, the REDI Act supports a broader healthcare mission: expanding access to specialized dental care, including endodontics, in communities across the country. AAE is deeply concerned about the national shortage of dental specialists, particularly in underserved and rural areas. By lowering financial barriers to advanced training, this legislation will make it more feasible for students to pursue specialties and, in turn, help bridge the care gap in areas where it’s needed most.
AAE is proud to lead the charge in advocating for policies that not only support our residents but also strengthen the future of dental care in America.
Visit the link below to support the REDI Act.
The American Association of Endodontists (AAE) sent a letter of opposition to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) over a recent decision to cap indirect costs for medical research grants at fifteen percent. This policy, which limits funding for essential operational expenses, has raised alarm among research institutions and dental schools that rely on these funds to support vital research and infrastructure.
For decades, the NIH—through the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)—has provided crucial support for research in dental, oral, and craniofacial health. Since its inception in 1948, NIDCR funding has been instrumental in advancing innovations such as improved oral cancer detection, enhanced dental materials, and better management of congenital anomalies and oral trauma.
Key concerns regarding policy change include:
- Support for Research Infrastructure: Indirect costs are used to cover essential expenses including utilities, rent, maintenance, and the support of administrative and technical staff. These funds are critical for sustaining the research environments where groundbreaking discoveries are made.
- Impact on Scientific Innovation: Limiting indirect cost recovery may constrain the ability of institutions to support ongoing and future research projects, potentially slowing progress in oral health and other areas of biomedical science.
The AAE’s stance reflects a broader concern that this cap represents an arbitrary decision, one that might undermine the established funding structure designed by Congress to support research excellence. The potential disruption in research continuity is worrisome, as many AAE members depend on this research funding annually.
By Dr. Albert (Ace) Goerig
Every endodontic career begins with transitioning from residency to private practice. The choices made during this period can significantly influence short- and long-term career success.
While practice ownership is a desired goal for many new endodontists, the economics of high student debt coupled with the major investment costs of a startup or practice purchase seem prohibitive at first. For many young endodontists, associating in a practice after graduation can help to build financial stability and reduce debt.
Associateships can also provide another incredibly valuable advantage for endodontists beginning their career: being mentored by an experienced practitioner in private practice. Rather than the low rung on the ladder to professional success, an associateship can be the springboard to enhanced clinical and practice knowledge that will bolster future goals. Whether the associate stays in an employment position or eventually moves on to their own practice, the knowledge gleaned from a mentor relationship accelerates success.
Direct Clinical Mentoring
It is in the interests of the practice owner that associates can complete cases effectively. New associates come out of their residency with educational knowledge and some practical case experience, but they fall short on the real-world variety of clinical conditions often encountered in practice. Mutual success is improved when the owner doctor recognizes and develops a direct clinical mentoring environment with the associate.
Among the first benefits is providing the associate with diagnostic insights and treatment planning guidance. Easy cases are easy, but when complicating factors are revealed in testing and 3D scans, reviewing a challenging case with a more experienced endodontist is a great advantage to the young doctor. No one wants a failed case, and a few moments reviewing case records together can boost confidence in achieving a successful outcome.
The second benefit of clinical mentoring is the opportunity to learn over-the-shoulder from the owner endodontist. Every endodontist builds on the clinical techniques that give them the greatest predictability for success, and it’s highly instructive for new endodontists to explore the clinical choices and methods that the owner doctor uses. Clinical tips can range from surgical techniques, complex twisting canals, broken files, or even something as fundamental as suturing.
The third benefit of clinical mentoring is learning how to develop and maintain clinical focus during treatment. This includes how to delegate to and work with a dental assistant to complete cases smoothly. Great dental assistants significantly improve the doctor’s ability to complete cases efficiently and learning how to communicate and coordinate the patient’s treatment with a highly trained dental assistant is a vital skill. A great mentor will often assign their most experienced dental assistant to support the associate at first.
The fourth benefit of direct clinical mentoring is learning how efficient diagnosis and treatment enables the associate to achieve improved clinical productivity. That allows the schedule to be optimized as the associate’s clinical mastery increases, leading to better availability for patient cases, and improved flexibility in the schedule for emergency patients in pain.
Observational Mentoring
While the primary job of an associate is to provide clinical care without responsibilities for practice management, associates benefit from observing the entire practice environment. Any associate who foresees future practice ownership (possibly even in the practice they are associating through a future buy-out of the owner), can learn much about practice operations and leadership in advance.
One aspect that every practice owner needs to pay attention to is managing referral relationships and marketing. Associates are generally hired to increase the clinical capacity of a practice when the number of referred cases exceeds the availability of the owner doctor (assuming the owner doctor isn’t hiring an associate to facilitate a reduction in their own schedule). The right level of practice success indicates referral relationship and marketing success that young doctors can learn from.
Likewise, the non-clinical operations of the practice are incredibly useful for observational mentoring. This includes observing how the practice administrative team functions, operational aspects like insurance, payments and accounts receivable, team leadership by the owner doctor, financial goals and decision-making. It’s an inside view of what it takes to own and manage a successful endodontic practice, and it can dramatically shorten the learning curve when an associate eventually moves into practice ownership themselves.
Not all Associateships are the Same
Even though mentorship through associating is a wonderful opportunity for a young endodontist, it is important to realize that not every associateship is the same. Not all owner doctors have the same aptitude to be mentors, and their practices may not be perfect examples of business success. It does require some self-leadership and effort by the associate to make the best of whatever situation they are in.
The good news is that there is high demand for associates in endodontics. So, young endodontists looking for associateships can carefully select the practices they end up working for. Ideally, potential associates should look for practices that are highly successful with an owner doctor who is welcoming, consultative, lifestyle-focused, and deeply cares that the associate achieves success, both professionally and financially. That attitude sets up a productive and collaborative relationship leading to enjoyable days driven by mutual support for excellent patient care.
Dr. Ace Goerig is an ABE Diplomate and owner of Endo Mastery. For more information, visit www.endomastery.com.
Compiled by Dr. Priscilla L. Carpenter
Dr. Marvin Payen is currently a second-year endodontic resident at Case Western Reserve University, SDM.
The Paper Point: Today, we’re excited to shine the spotlight on Dr. Marvin Payen! We know how packed the schedule can be for a resident, so we truly appreciate you taking the time to chat with us. Thank you for being here!
Dr. Payen, let’s start at the beginning — born in Coney Island, raised in Spring Valley, NY. How did your “roots” shape who you are today, both personally and professionally?
Dr. Marvin Payen: Growing up in Spring Valley, NY, I was exposed to a mixture of cultures, families trying to build something, and a strong sense of community. This gave me the skills to connect with people from all walks of life and how to stay grounded. I was taught early that you had to work hard for what you wanted. Personally, it gave me a lot of pride in my roots and a real appreciation for where I come from. Professionally, it’s made me adaptable, hardworking, and good at navigating different environments. Spring Valley, NY helped shape my drive and how I show up in the world.
The Paper Point: You’ve earned degrees from St. John’s, Towson, Howard, and now, in a few months, Case Western — that’s quite the academic journey! How have these diverse learning environments shaped your perspective as a future endodontist?
Dr. Marvin Payen: Yeah, it’s certainly been a journey. Each institution played a unique role in shaping how I think and who I’m becoming as a future endodontist. I’ve met some amazing people along the way who’ve helped me get to this point. St. John’s gave me a strong academic foundation and really pushed me to take ownership of my goals early on. Towson helped me grow personally being in a different environment and challenged me to adapt.
Howard was a turning point. I gained a sense of purpose, community, and excellence while I was there. It deepened my passion for dentistry and reinforced the importance of representation and service in healthcare.
Now at Case Western, I’m focused intensely on the clinical and technical skills needed to be a great endodontist. It’s a privilege to be learning from some amazing individuals here.
The Paper Point: Community outreach seems to be a big part of your story — from Mission of Mercy to the Christian Dental Society. What did those experiences teach you about service, leadership, and the power of dentistry beyond the clinic walls?
Dr. Marvin Payen: Those experiences honestly changed the way I see dentistry. Mission of Mercy, the Christian Dental Society, and other outreach work reminded me that dentistry isn’t just about fixing teeth. It’s about showing up for people when they need it most. Along this journey, I heard this quote so many times, “you’re not just treating a tooth, you’re treating a person.” That has always sat with me. The patients I saw at these outreach events hadn’t had care in years, and being able to provide that they needed it the most, was powerful.
These experiences taught me that service is about being present, listening, and meeting people where they are. And from a leadership standpoint, I learned how to work with diverse teams, stay organized under pressure, and lead with compassion because when you’re out in the field, things don’t always go as planned, but people still count on you.
The Paper Point: What was your “aha” moment that made you fall in love with endodontics? Was there a specific case or mentor that inspired you to pursue the specialty?
Dr. Marvin Payen: My “aha” moment with endo wasn’t just one big dramatic case but encountering great endodontic professors and attendings at HUCD. These individuals were all super passionate and always calm under pressure. I had the privilege of observing their interaction with patients who came in with severe pain, severe anxiety, and were convinced the tooth had to be pulled. By the end of the appointment, the root canal procedure was completed, the patient was out of pain and was genuinely grateful for the treatment. That’s when I started seeing endo differently, not just as a technical specialty, but as something that could truly change how a person feels about dentistry and their overall well-being. When my professors, attendings and even classmates encouraged me to pursue endo, I was extremely flattered. I was taken back that they believed I could be an endodontist. At that point, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
The Paper Point: You’ve worked as a general dentist before starting your endo residency. How has that experience informed your approach to patient care now as a specialist-in-training?
Dr. Marvin Payen: Working as a general dentist before starting my endo residency gave me a really solid foundation. It taught me how to build trust with patients, communicate clearly, and manage a wide range of clinical situations. I think having that general practice experience helps me approach treatment with more empathy, and it’s made me more intentional about patient education and comfort. Overall, it’s helped me stay grounded. I know what it’s like on both sides, and that perspective makes me a better clinician.
The Paper Point: Case Western is known for its strong clinical and academic training — what’s been your favorite part of residency so far? Any memorable cases or “firsts” you’ll never forget?
Dr. Marvin Payen: Honestly, one of my favorite parts of residency at Case Western has been the hands-on clinical experience. The volume and complexity of cases we see have pushed me to grow so much in such a short time. You’re constantly challenged, but also supported by faculty, attendings, support staff and fellow co-residents, who are truly invested in your growth; not only as an endodontist, but as a person. Dr. Mickel has cultivated a family atmosphere, at Case Western, that makes this all possible. I can’t imagine completing my residency anywhere else.
I would say every case is somewhat memorable, for their own particular reason, whether it be the actual root canal procedure or just patients themselves and managing them. Each case is unique, requiring a different approach/mind set. These cases continue to change me for the better as I work towards being an endodontist. This is what makes every day in residency feel meaningful.
The Paper Point: I love that! With your Haitian heritage, how has culture influenced your approach to patient care, leadership, and how you show up in the profession?
Dr. Marvin Payen: Being Haitian has shaped so much of who I am, especially when it comes to how I care for others. Our culture is rooted in resilience, humility, and community. I try to instill those values in the way I approach patient care every day. I never take for granted the opportunity to make someone feel heard, respected, and cared for.
Culturally, there’s a strong emphasis on showing up with respect, working hard, and lifting others as you climb. I try to lead by example, with compassion, and always looking for ways to support those around me. Whether it’s mentoring, volunteering, or just bringing a positive energy to the team, I try to bring those values into everything I do.
My heritage keeps me grounded. It reminds me of why I do this and who I’m doing it for, not just for myself, but for my family, my community, and future patients who might see a part of themselves in me.
The Paper Point: Outside the operatory, you love cooking, music festivals, and movies. What’s your go-to dish in the kitchen, and what’s the last movie or concert that blew you away?
Dr. Marvin Payen: My go to dish would be Chili and Baked Ziti. I’ve gotten great reviews, especially from my mom, who’s a tough critic, haha. I want to perfect making other dishes and cuisine when I leave residency and actually have free time. Other than being a dentist, I wanted to be a chef, travel the world and try other cuisines. I don’t know if you’re familiar with Anthony Bourdain. He had a show on the Travel Channel, called No Reservations. His show embodied what I wanted to do and how I wanted to live my life, if I were a chef.
The last performer who blew me away was Burna Boy. I saw him at a music festival in Brooklyn, NY, a couple months before residency started. He’s a great performer!! Mind you, it began to rain during his set. He still had people on their feet, dancing as if it wasn’t raining at all. The energy was unreal. I highly recommend it!
The Paper Point: Dr. Payen, it’s been a pleasure speaking with you! Before we close, are there any final thoughts or words of wisdom you’d like to share with our readers?
Dr. Marvin Payen:
Here are some words of wisdom/quotes that have helped along my journey:
- You don’t know what you don’t know
- Never Stop Learning
- Strive for Excellence
- Be Humble
- Lift as We Climb
Thank you again for considering me for the paper point, it has been a pleasure and privilege.
Dr. Priscilla L. Carpenter is chair of the AAE’s Resident and New Practitioner Committee.
By Dr. Tung Bui
How smarter prompts lead to smarter practice and learning
Introduction
Prompt engineering; the practice of crafting purposeful and structured inputs for large language models (LLMs), is fast becoming a key skill for the endodontic resident. For residents, AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and OpenEvidence can act as co-pilots. But to make the most of them, residents must learn how to frame prompts effectively. Like setting the stage for an actor, prompting AI is about defining the role, context, task, and tone to receive clinically relevant, safe, and useful responses.
Think Like a Director: Framing the Scene
Effective prompts help large language models (LLMs) perform more like endodontic specialists, and one of the most practical strategies for guiding an AI response is the “role-task-tone” approach. For example, a user might say, “You are a board-certified endodontist,” to assign the role, followed by, “Evaluate this patient’s lingering pain post-retreatment,” as the task, and add, “Explain in a compassionate, patient-friendly way,” to set the tone. LLM output quality improves when both the role and task are explicitly stated. The LLM will generate more relevant and structured responses when it is pre-framed as a subject-matter expert rather than when it receives an open-ended query.
Clinical Use Cases: Efficiency Meets Precision
Endodontic residents can apply prompt engineering to enhance various aspects of clinical training. By crafting effective prompts, they can improve clinical decision-making by eliciting more precise differential diagnoses, treatment planning suggestions, and evidence-based recommendations from AI tools. Prompt engineering also streamlines documentation by generating well-structured clinical notes, patient education materials, and referral letters with greater speed and consistency. Additionally, it can support the analysis of complex cases by guiding AI to synthesize literature, compare treatment options, and simulate expert reasoning, ultimately serving as a valuable adjunct to both education and practice.
Diagnostic Support
Prompt: “You are an endodontist. List differential diagnoses for persistent pain following nonsurgical retreatment of a maxillary premolar. Include next diagnostic steps. Provide references from peer reviewed studies.”
This prompt structure enables AI to simulate clinical reasoning, often mirroring diagnostic pathways that align with textbook or evidence-based protocols. While AI lacks clinical intuition, its ability to summarize diagnostic options aligns with recent findings that LLMs can support, but not replace clinical judgment.
CBCT Justification
Prompt: “Provide evidence-based reasons for using CBCT in a suspected vertical root fracture of a previously treated molar.”
Using AI for evidence synthesis has already proven valuable. Tools like OpenEvidence can cite AAE guidelines and systematic reviews in seconds, reducing cognitive and time burden while supporting evidence-based dentistry.
Uncommon Clinical Conditions
Prompt: “Act as an oral medicine expert. Provide causes and treatment options for burning mouth syndrome. Suggest treatment options. Include when to refer.”
This is particularly helpful for residents encountering orofacial pain that falls outside the pulp-periodontal spectrum. LLMs can highlight medical-dental overlaps but must be supervised to avoid misapplication of outdated or oversimplified data.
Academic Applications:
Residents can apply prompt engineering to enhance various aspects of clinical training. By crafting effective prompts, they can improve clinical decision-making by eliciting more precise differential diagnoses, treatment planning suggestions, and evidence-based recommendations from AI tools. Prompt engineering also streamlines documentation by generating well-structured clinical notes, patient education materials, and referral letters with greater speed and consistency. Additionally, it can support the analysis of complex cases by guiding AI to synthesize literature, compare treatment options, and simulate expert reasoning, ultimately serving as a valuable adjunct to both education and practice.
Literature Summarization
Prompt: “Summarize the main findings from recent articles in the Journal of Endodontics on regenerative endodontics. Include citations.”
AI can be a rapid literature assistant. However, clinicians should confirm citations since LLMs have a reputation of fabricating falsehoods to “please” the user.
Board Preparation
Prompt: “Create a board-style clinical case question about root perforation management. Include four answer choices and rationale.”
LLMs are helpful as supplementary tools for test preparation. They should be used to reinforce, not replace structured board review.
Patient Communication
Prompt: “Explain to a patient why a root canal may need to be redone. Keep it under 100 words and written at a sixth-grade reading level.”
Prompt engineering makes it easy to generate plain-language explanations, a skill that is vital for improving patient understanding and satisfaction.
Tools of the Trade
- ChatGPT: General-purpose LLM with high-quality prose and reasoning capabilities.
- Claude: An LLM with good at long-context memory and nuanced language.
- Perplexity AI: Web-augmented model with reliable citation links.
- OpenEvidence: Medical-specific LLM offering literature-based, structured answers with references.
Using multiple tools ensures a broader evidence base and enables cross-validation of facts, which enhances the reliability and depth of clinical or academic conclusions. Different AI platforms and databases often draw from unique datasets, algorithms, and reasoning strategies. By consulting more than one tool, users can compare outputs, identify discrepancies, and converge on well-supported answers rather than relying on a single source that may have limitations or biases. This approach not only strengthens critical thinking but also mirrors the multidisciplinary process of peer review and collaborative diagnosis, fostering a more rigorous and nuanced understanding of complex issues.
Ethics and Oversight
While AI output can be fast and impressive, residents must approach it with caution and responsibility. It’s essential to fact-check everything, as large language models (LLMs) are known to “hallucinate” sources or generate plausible-sounding but incorrect information. Protecting patient privacy is also critical; identifiable data should never be entered into publicly hosted tools. Clinicians should guard against automation bias, where a confident AI-generated answer may unduly influence decision-making; clinical judgment should always take precedence.
Conclusion
Prompt engineering is a powerful skill for the endodontic resident. It allows AI to be used not just as a novelty, but as a functional tool; supporting clinical decisions, enhancing writing, and accelerating learning. Like hand skills, good prompts improve with deliberate practice. By learning how to “direct the scene,” residents can harness AI’s potential while maintaining professional standards and clinical oversight.
Dr. Tung Bui is a Board-certified endodontist with Specialized Dental Partners, practicing in Tucson, Arizona. He also serves as a clinical endodontic instructor and lecturer with the NYU Langone AEGD Tucson program and Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System AEGD program. When not extending the life of teeth, he is sourcing and roasting exquisitely rare third-wave coffees and pursuing outdoor adventures. As a futurist investor, he devotes his time into exploring emerging and disruptive technologies. He currently chairs the AAE Connection Committee. Disclosure: The author has no financial interests, and the opinions expressed are solely his and not those of the AAE. AI tools were used for editing. You can contact Dr. Tung Bui at apexologist@gmail.com.