A Mother-of-Two’s Unusual Encounter with Her Dentist
A mother-of-two from Melbourne found herself in an unexpected situation when her dentist called the police after she refused to allow the use of artificial intelligence during her dental appointment. Caerwin Martin, 52, was undergoing treatment for a toothache when the check-up took an unusual turn. The periodontist, who had been referred to her due to ongoing pain issues, asked for her consent to use an AI program to take notes.
Feeling uneasy about her private medical information being uploaded online and concerned about the safety of the software, Ms. Martin declined the offer. This decision led to an extraordinary reaction from the dentist, which left her shocked.
“I’m just so shocked,” she told the Daily Mail. “It was just the most bizarre situation. I had the cops called for not wanting to use AI to take my notes. The police officer thought it was quite funny. He walked up and said, ‘What’s going on?’ This was a triple-0 call—an emergency—and there’s me sitting calmly in the waiting room.”
The police were called last week when Ms. Martin attended the specialist appointment. During the consultation, the dentist mentioned using AI to make notes and write referrals. She responded by stating that she was a musician and was divesting from AI. The dentist seemed to freeze and looked at his assistant, becoming agitated afterward.
She opened her mouth, and the dentist examined it for about 30 seconds before deciding she needed a referral. He appeared annoyed and was visibly jittery, bouncing his leg angrily. As the doctor sat to write the referral, the topic of AI came up again.
“I told him I didn’t think it was safe and I had security concerns about it,” she said. “He said that was legally untrue and he couldn’t allow me to say things that were legally untrue.” She found the statement confusing but noted that the doctor then lost his temper. He insisted they were not using ChatGPT and refused to provide more details, leading to a heated exchange.
Ms. Martin suggested the doctor needed to regulate himself and asked if he wanted her to leave. She left the appointment and went to the reception to pay, but the dentist chased her into the waiting room and yelled, “Call the police.”
The receptionist, who was perplexed, called the police and dialed triple-0. Ms. Martin remained seated in the waiting room until officers arrived. After a brief conversation, she left and has not heard back since.
Feeling uneasy about the confrontation, she later contacted the Dental Board of Australia for advice. They supported her, stating she absolutely had the right to choose and that what happened should not have occurred. She believes this incident raises important questions about the use of AI in medical practices.
“I know people are often asked by GPs if they do use AI, do they have your consent and permission, and of course you should be allowed to say no,” she said. “I have lots of ethical reasons why I don’t want AI to have access to my medical records.”
As a musician, she is offended that the government had to step in to stop AI from hoovering up all of our stuff. She has a boycott on AI and does not believe it is good for the world. Last month, the Australian government blocked artificial intelligence companies from training their models on Australian creative works, a move that could have seen local artists’ work recreated and used without royalties.
“I also don’t want my medical records to be written by anyone other than the medical professional,” Ms. Martin added. “I’m very concerned that ChatGPT had leaks. I don’t think it’s secure and I don’t trust it.”
While she understands that doctors may want to use AI due to time constraints and cost considerations, she emphasizes that everyone should have the right to say no.