AI Chatbots Took the Endodontic Board Exam: What They Scored
A July 2026 Journal of Endodontics study had GPT-4o and Gemini 2.5 Pro sit a simulated American Board of Endodontics oral exam. Both scored remarkably high. Here's what that does — and doesn't — mean for your dental care.
By Silicon Valley Endodontics editorial team
AI: promise is not proof of patient benefit
Silicon Valley Endodontics editorial addition. Only the Swanson and Turgeon summaries in this addition were clinically reviewed by Dr. Jason Kung, DDS, MS, on September 30, 2026, in English and all seven translations. Other summaries are not covered by that review; review of these two summaries does not update the surrounding page's earlier clinical review.
Imaging AI and chatbots do different jobs. Research results do not replace a tooth examination or establish better treatment outcomes. Our guide explains limitations, privacy and questions to ask; it does not claim this practice uses diagnostic AI.
High exam scores did not prevent invented references: in Jalali’s board simulation, each model fabricated four citations. Ourang’s separate study used four hypothetical dental-trauma scenarios, not a patient trial. Specialist-framed questions received better ratings, but wording and clinical content changed together, so wording alone cannot explain the difference. Unsafe advice occurred. Verify references and do not let a chatbot delay urgent trauma assessment.
Read the patient guide to AI in endodonticsEvery board-certified endodontist has faced the American Board of Endodontics oral examination — a live, case-based grilling in which examiners probe diagnosis, treatment planning, and the literature behind every decision. In the July 2026 Journal of Endodontics, researchers asked a timely question: how would today's AI chatbots do in that chair?
How the experiment worked
Two academic, board-certified endodontists built three complete oral-board cases — full medical history, dental history, clinical test results — each followed by 20 consecutive open-ended, board-style questions. Two publicly available AI models, GPT-4o and Gemini 2.5 Pro, took the exam. The same two examiners independently graded every answer on a 0–3 rubric for response validity, citation validity, and overall performance.
The results
- Gemini 2.5 Pro: mean overall score of 2.83 / 3
- GPT-4o: mean overall score of 2.73 / 3
- Statistical modeling found no significant difference between the two models' odds of an "excellent" answer.
By any standard, that's a strong showing on specialist-level material. The authors' conclusion, though, was carefully scoped: the results "support the concept of using AI chatbots as aid in endodontic education" — a study tool for residents, a way to rehearse case reasoning. Not a clinician.
What an exam score doesn't measure
An oral-board simulation hands the AI a perfectly documented case: every test already performed, every finding already recorded. Real endodontics is the part that happens before that write-up exists — and after it:
- Producing the findings. Cold testing, percussion, palpation, bite tests, reading subtle radiographic changes — a chatbot can't touch a tooth. And tooth pain is a notorious impostor: even AI-assisted imaging has real limits.
- Judgment under ambiguity. Real patients rarely present textbook cases. Referred pain, cracked teeth, and healing anatomy don't come with an answer key.
- The hands. Locating a calcified canal under a microscope or performing an apicoectomy is a physical skill no language model possesses.
Where AI genuinely helps — including in our practice
We're not AI skeptics. This website has an AI assistant that answers common questions about root canals, insurance, and appointments around the clock — because for education and access, AI is excellent, and this study reinforces that. Where we draw the line is diagnosis and treatment: those stay with a specialist who can actually examine you.
The bottom line
AI scoring 2.8/3 on a board-style exam is a genuine milestone for dental education — and zero reason to skip a proper evaluation. If a tooth is bothering you, ask our chat assistant anything you like, then book with a human specialist. Call (669) 234-2354 — we're open weekends for emergencies.
Have a question about your tooth?
Dr. Kung sees emergency cases the same day when possible. Most consultations are 30 minutes and include a microscope examination.
Related Articles
Technology
How CBCT 3D Imaging Changes Endodontic Diagnosis
Traditional dental X-rays show a flat picture of a three-dimensional tooth. CBCT 3D imaging changes that — and it can mean the difference between a tooth saved and a tooth lost.
ReadTechnology
Can AI Detect Vertical Root Fractures? 2026 Review
A vertical root fracture is one of the hardest problems in dentistry to diagnose — and one of the most consequential, because it often decides whether a tooth can be saved. A new 2026 systematic review looked at whether artificial intelligence can help spot these fractures on 3D scans. The results are promising, with an important caveat.
ReadTechnology
Is GentleWave Worth It? What the 2026 Evidence Actually Shows
GentleWave is one of the most heavily marketed technologies in modern endodontics. A new May 2026 scoping review in the Journal of Endodontics looked at 22 studies and reached a conclusion the marketing doesn't capture: against any competent activation technique — ultrasonic, sonic, laser — GentleWave shows no meaningful clinical advantage. Here's the honest read for patients deciding whether to seek out a GentleWave practice.
ReadContinue with Dr. Kung
Treatment Guide
Root Canal Treatment with Dr. Kung
How a specialist endodontist performs root canal treatment under the surgical microscope — with comfort, precision, and a 90%+ long-term success rate.
Read the guideSpecialist Consult
Get a Second Opinion
Been told you need an extraction, retreatment, or apicoectomy? A specialist consultation often surfaces options your general dentist could not see.
Schedule a consult