Ernest M. Jones Memorial Lecture 2027

The Resilient Dental Professional in the Age of AI - Dentistry is changing. Are we?

Kyle Stanley, DDS

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Course Description

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing dentistry, from diagnosis and clinical decision making to practice operations and the way dental teams work. As technology becomes increasingly capable, dental professionals must understand not only how to use it, but how to adapt and thrive alongside it.

This full day course explores the real world applications, strengths, and limitations of AI in dentistry and how emerging technologies may reshape the profession. The afternoon turns toward the human side of dentistry, examining communication, leadership, health, professional identity, purpose, and the mental resilience required to build a sustainable career.

Attendees will leave with a better understanding of how to use technology intelligently while preserving the clinical judgment, relationships, expertise, and human connection at the heart of our profession.

Overall Course Objectives – As a result of attending this course, you will be able to:

Understand the strengths, limitations, and current applications of AI in dentistry.
Recognize how AI is influencing clinical care, diagnosis, decision making, practice management, and dental workflows.
Identify practical opportunities to use technology to improve efficiency, reduce repetitive work, reduce team stress, and create more time for patient care.
Understand how technology can support rather than replace clinical judgment, professional expertise, and human connection.
Apply strategies involving communication, leadership, physical and emotional well being, purpose, and professional identity to build a more resilient and sustainable career.
Consider how dentistry may evolve over the next decade and which professional skills may become increasingly important as technology advances.

Course Schedule

8:00am – 8:30am Registration and Continental Breakfast
Start the day with coffee, light refreshments, and networking opportunities.

8:30am – 8:45am Course introduction and announcements

8:45am – 10:00am Segment 1: Dental Innovation and the Reality of AI

Explore the evolution of innovation in dentistry and the fundamentals of artificial intelligence.
Understand the real world strengths, limitations, and applications of AI.
Identify major clinical, operational, and professional challenges facing dentistry today.
Examine how technology can help dental professionals address these challenges.
Understand how AI can support rather than replace clinical judgment, professional expertise, and human connection.

10:00am – 10:30am Morning break
An opportunity for informal conversations with Dr. Stanley and colleagues.

10:30am – 12:00pm Segment 2: AI in the Dental Practice: Clinical Care, Practice Growth, and the Future

Explore current applications of AI in pathology detection, diagnosis, and clinical decision making.
Understand how AI can support practice management, reduce repetitive administrative work, and decrease team stress.
Identify practical considerations for incorporating AI tools into everyday dental practice.
Explore how technology can give dental professionals more time to focus on patient care.
Examine emerging technologies and how AI may reshape dentistry in the coming years.

12:00pm – 1:30pm Lunch break
Optional Alumni Luncheon in Walker Ames Room by reservation, or enjoy a meal at your leisure.

1:30pm – 3:00pm Segment 3: The Human Advantage: Becoming a Mentally Resilient Dental Professional

Identify common mistakes dental professionals make throughout their careers and strategies for overcoming them.
Understand the limitations of focusing exclusively on clinical skills while neglecting other areas of professional development.
Explore how physical health and emotional well being influence long term career performance.
Develop stronger communication skills for interactions with patients, team members, and colleagues.
Apply practical strategies for reducing stress and building a healthier, more sustainable career.

3:00pm – 3:30pm Afternoon break

3:30pm – 4:00pm Segment 4: Building a Career That Lasts

Develop a healthier perspective on career success and professional growth.
Understand how to respond constructively to complications, revisions, and unexpected outcomes.
Explore the relationship between personal purpose, professional identity, and fulfillment.
Learn to focus energy on what can be controlled rather than what cannot.
Strengthen communication, management, and leadership of team members.
Create a more intentional approach to long term resilience and a sustainable dental career.

4:00pm – 4:30pm
Q&A with Dr. Stanley
A dedicated discussion exploring the day’s key insights and where dentistry may be headed next.

Potential discussion questions:

What are we underestimating about AI in dentistry?
What are dental professionals worried about regarding AI that they probably should not be?
What should we actually be concerned about?
What part of dentistry do you believe will change fastest over the next five years?
What should dental students entering the profession today be learning that dental education may not yet be emphasizing enough?
How do you see AI changing the roles of dentists, hygienists, assistants, and other members of the dental team?
As technology becomes increasingly capable, what becomes more valuable about being human?
Does AI ultimately have the potential to make dentistry more human or less human?

4:30pm Adjourn

Instructor

Dr. Kyle Stanly Dr. Kyle Stanley is a globally recognized dentist, educator, entrepreneur, and innovator working at the intersection of clinical dentistry, artificial intelligence, and professional well being.

Named “The Next Generation of Cosmetic Dentistry” by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and one of the “Top 10 Young Educators in Dentistry” by the Seattle Study Club, Dr. Stanley has presented on six continents and has published extensively in esthetic dentistry, implant dentistry, mental health, and emerging technologies.

Dr. Stanley is a cofounder of Pearl, a dental AI company valued at more than $400 million, and has been directly involved in bringing artificial intelligence into everyday clinical dentistry. He also advises a number of emerging dental technology companies.
Through the Light Side Academy, Dr. Stanley focuses on mental resilience, burnout prevention, leadership, and helping dental professionals build sustainable and fulfilling careers.

His combination of clinical dentistry, entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence, and professional well being gives Dr. Stanley a unique perspective on one of the most important questions facing dentistry today: As technology becomes increasingly capable, how do we use it to become better dental professionals while preserving the judgment, relationships, purpose, and human connection at the heart of our profession?

Disclosures:

Dr. Stanley discloses that he is a founder and shareholder of Pearl and an advisor and shareholder for Two Front, Bytesense, Jaza, Finally Quiet, Greenmark Biomedical, Neurality, and Smilefy.
The staff of the University of Washington Office of Continuing Dental Education have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Course Logistics

DATE:
Friday, March 26, 2027

LOCATION:
University of Washington
Kane Hall, Room 130
Seattle, Washington 98195

TARGET AUDIENCE:
This course is designed for dental practitioners.

TIMES:
Registration and Continental Breakfast: 8:00am – 8:30am
Course: 8:30am – 4:30pm

TUITION:
Until March 24, 2027 (after, $25 more)
$150 for CDE credit*
Complimentary for no CDE credit**

* This fee helps to cover the costs of this event that exceed the available annual funds of the Ernest M. Jones Memorial Lectureship Fund.
** If you plan to attend for no CDE credits, you still need to register.

CREDITS:
7 hours

PARKING:

For parking in the Central Parking Garage directly below Kane Hall, you can pay by smart phone with the PayByPhone app. This course takes place during spring break, so there should be plenty of parking space available.

Parking by the PayByPhone app is $21.50 for each vehicle.

You can also use public transportation – multiple buses and light rail come to campus throughout the day.

OPTIONAL LUNCH:
$25 per person – chicken, fish or vegetarian entrée available – reserve by Friday, March 19, 2027, please – space is limited.

An annual alumni meeting will convene over lunch, but you are welcome to attend the lunch whether you are alumni or not!

CANCELLATION, TRANSFER AND REFUND POLICY:
No refunds will be given for this course. If you must cancel your registration, tuition credit will be given for the course that must be used at a UW CDE course by June 30, 2027; or the registration can be transferred to another person for a $10 processing fee. Cancellations and transfers must be made by 5:00pm on March 24, 2027 to dentalce@uw.edu. After that, no transfers are available.

Conflict of Interest
In accordance with the ADA CERP Standard V., everyone involved in planning or presenting this educational activity will be required to disclose any relevant financial relationships with commercial interests and this information will be made available to participants at the start of the course.

As a continuing education provider, University of Washington Continuing Dental Education is responsible for ensuring the content, quality and scientific integrity of all continuing dental education activities for which credit is provided. The School is also responsible for taking steps to protect against and/or disclose any conflict of interest of the faculty/instructors presenting those courses.

By providing my information, I consent to receive communication via mail, email, fax, and phone from the University of Washington Continuing Dental Education office. The Continuing Dental Education office will not share your information with anyone.

Dental education institutions have an obligation to disseminate new knowledge related to dental practice. In so doing, some presentations may include controversial materials or commercial references. Sponsorship of a continuing education course by the University of Washington does not necessarily imply endorsement of a particular philosophy, procedure, or product by this institution.

The University of Washington Continuing Dental Education cautions continuing dental education participants that there are potential risks of using limited knowledge when incorporating new techniques and procedures into the practice of dentistry, especially when the continuing education course has not provided supervised clinical experience and/or competency tests in the techniques or procedures.

Contact Us

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Local: (206) 543-5448
Toll Free: (866) 791-1278
Email: dentalce@uw.edu

University of Washington
Continuing Dental Education
Box 357137
Seattle, WA 98195-7137

The University of Washington is an ADA CERP Recognized Provider.
ADA CERP is a service of the American Dental Association to assist dental professionals in identifying quality providers of continuing dental education. ADA CERP does not approve or endorse individual courses or instructors, nor does it imply acceptance of credit hours by boards of dentistry.

This continuing education activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the standards of the ADA Continuing Education Recognition Program (ADA CERP).

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The University of Washington is a member of the Association for Continuing Dental Education.

University of Washington designates this activity for 7 continuing education credits.