From Conventional Dentistry to Precision Oral Medicine: The Emerging Role of Gene Therapy and Artificial Intelligence

Abstract

Gene therapy is emerging as a promising strategy for a range of dental and oral conditions, including periodontal disease, salivary gland dysfunction, bone/tooth regeneration, and oral cancer. However, its clinical translation has been constrained by challenges in target selection, delivery efficiency, safety and patient heterogeneity. At the same time, artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly expanding its role in dentistry, particularly in image-based diagnosis, risk prediction, treatment planning and decision support. These two fields are increasingly complementary, and this overlap can reduce patient treatment time as well as overall costs per patient. AI can help identify therapeutic targets, stratify patients, optimize delivery systems, and monitor treatment response, thereby, strengthening the precision and translational potential of gene-based interventions. By integrating AI with gene therapy, dental medicine will move closer to a model of precision oral care that is more predictive, adaptive, and clinically impactful.

J. Contemp. Dent. Sci. 2026;14(2): 1-4