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Robot dentist performs first human procedure

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Re: Robot dentist performs first human procedure

#221

Post by darby_nine »

lostlogin wrote: post #215
darby_nine wrote: post #208

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I imagine regrowing enamel is a preferable path for most people compared to something poking around their mouth multiple times a day

You’d prefer to cure the problem rather than prevent it occurring?

I'm terrible at preventing it from occurring, and I don't see either a) a robot capable of dealing with me or b) my establishing comfort with said robot actually happening. So yea, I'd rather just introduce teeth that are more resilient to destruction than I am at constantly trying to fight the destruction.

Re: Robot dentist performs first human procedure

#222

Post by drewchew »

robertlagrant wrote: post #185
settsu wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On first blush, this is an interesting premise. And it would seem to make sense once there is no need for human attendants, nor any potential accommodation for them.

> And it would seem to make sense once there is no need for human attendants, nor any potential accommodation for them. Perhaps it could be combined with a back massage. Those chairs that you stick your face in would be tailor-made for this!

That's exactly what I was thinking, you can lay face down on a massage bed for a pretty long time, so they should just be able to put the robot in your mouth through the face hole lol

Re: Robot dentist performs first human procedure

#223

Post by drewchew »

candiddevmike wrote: post #145
drewchew wrote: post #80

Will robot dentists facilitate the option to lay face down for procedures so that the debris and saliva falls out instead of needing the suction tool?

What if I like the taste of burning tooth enamel? Can I flip over still?

The scent would be wafting directly into your nostrils if you were facedown, so... you got that going for you I guess?

Re: Robot dentist performs first human procedure

#225

Post by SkyPuncher »

treis wrote: post #216
SkyPuncher wrote: post #121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure, but it's extremely hard to overcome the hole that medical school and residency puts you into. 4 years of tuition, then 4 years of pitiful wages is a long time. The top, most competitive fields have astronomical wages, but most doctors salary is closer to that of an engineer. Anecdotally, I'm a software engineer. My wife is a physician. We'll be in our 50's before my wife's career out earns mine. That financial…

Essentially nobody but doctors and those profiting off exploiting them wants that system.

Honestly, I don't think most doctors want that system either.

Re: Robot dentist performs first human procedure

#226

Post by SkyPuncher »

whimsicalism wrote: post #119
SkyPuncher wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Physician salaries are less than 10% the cost of healthcare. You could eliminate their salary entirely and it'd have no meaningful difference on the cost of healthcare. There is _absolutely_ an artificial supply limitation, but that's increasingly being worked around by the use of PA and NP providers. Doctors essentially become managers for PA and NPs. My wife is a physician. Actual, scientific diagnosis is a ridicul…

Unlike the other comment defending current medical practice, this one I absolutely agree with. I do not think that physician salaries are the major drivers of healthcare cost. I do think that occupational licensing reform would help bring down cost, but agree it is only a relatively small factor. However I do think that in the process of engaging in wage protectionism (and there is absolutely no question that doctors…

> I do think that occupational licensing reform would help bring down cost

I actually think this is the only way to bring costs down. Most providers, equals more competition. More competition leads to innovation and all around better outcomes.

Interestingly, a lot of states are starting to express their frustration with physician supply shortages by expanding rights for NPs and PAs. I think over the next 20 years, we're going to see MD/DO roles transition to largely supervisory roles with NPs and PAs doing most of the work. Much more akin to manager/IC type of roles we see in STEM type fields.

Re: Robot dentist performs first human procedure

#227

Post by dukeofdoom »

worstspotgain wrote: post #152
drewchew wrote: post #80

Will robot dentists facilitate the option to lay face down for procedures so that the debris and saliva falls out instead of needing the suction tool?

This, and the fact that a sterilized robot is way less likely to transmit airborne pathogens than a dentist and an assistant wearing a surgical mask at best. Maybe not v.1.0b4, but I'd sign up for v.1.2.

Less likely to touch the mouse while looking at xrays. Can't imagine how many Germs are transfered between patients that way.

Re: Robot dentist performs first human procedure

#228

Post by CamperBob2 »

rscho wrote: post #140
whimsicalism wrote: post #136

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm being very specific about melanoma because this is one of the cases with very compelling evidence. You can broaden the discussion if you want - but that is not what I'm discussing. Here's a study of this technology with 67k real-life practitioners showing obvious increases in accuracy. [0] Apologies if the link to that article is one mouse click too many for you. [0]: https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2024/0…

I never denied the performance. Now make it usable to the average doc. That's where we disagree. You believe it's usable, but you've never seen clinicians handle computer stuff.

It would be usable to anyone with a smartphone, in a world not controlled by self-interested gatekeepers and their well-paid lobbyists.

Re: Robot dentist performs first human procedure

#230

Post by 77pt77 »

crystalmeph wrote: post #168
nerdjon wrote: post #19

Its cool tech, don't get me wrong. But maybe, before we remove any amount of comfort with another human being we look at wether all of the dental practices are actually backed by science (which there is some scruitiny over). But also going to the dentist already isn't exactly pleasant, the pokes, scrapes, drill noises, etc. Maybe we improve that first before sticking it in a robot? People already have a ton of anxiet…

> But also going to the dentist already isn't exactly pleasant, the pokes, scrapes, drill noises, etc. Maybe we improve that first before sticking it in a robot? From the article: > The machine's first specialty: preparing a tooth for a dental crown. Perceptive claims this is generally a two-hour procedure that dentists will normally split into two visits. The robo-dentist knocks it off in closer to 15 minutes. So th…

> which will hopefully reduce anxiety as well as reducing costs.

We all know this is not going to happen.

You'll just pay a premium for the novelty.

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