Mother of two's toothache led to chaos after dentist mentioned AI and called police to arrest her

A Mother-of-Two's Unusual Encounter with Her Dentist

A mother of two from Melbourne found herself in an unexpected and bizarre 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 situation escalated dramatically.

During the check-up, the periodontist 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 refused. This refusal led to an extraordinary reaction from the dentist.

"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 who arrived at the scene found the situation amusing. He walked up and said, "What's going on?" The incident was reported as a triple-0 call—an emergency—and there she was, calmly sitting in the waiting room.

The police were called last week when Ms. Martin attended the specialist appointment with a periodontist she had been referred to after ongoing issues with pain. The dentist explained that he was using AI to make notes and write referrals, and Ms. Martin responded by stating that she was a musician and was divesting from AI.

The dentist appeared to freeze and looked at his assistant. After that, he became very agitated. When Ms. Martin opened her mouth, the doctor examined it for about 30 seconds and then said she needed a referral. He seemed annoyed and was really jittery, bouncing his leg angrily.

As the doctor sat to write the referral, the topic of AI was raised again. Ms. Martin expressed her concerns about the security of the software, but the dentist insisted that her statement was legally untrue and that he couldn't allow her to say things that were legally untrue. She found this statement confusing, but that's what he said, and then he lost it.

"He said they weren't using ChatGPT and wouldn't give me any more details about it, and things got really heated," she said.

Ms. Martin advised the doctor that he needed to regulate himself and asked if he wanted her to leave. She left the appointment and walked to reception to pay, but the dentist chased her out into the waiting room and yelled, "Call the police."

The receptionist, who was a bit perplexed, called the police, and dialled triple-0. Ms. Martin remained seated in the waiting room until officers arrived and, after briefly speaking to them, she left and has not heard back since.

Feeling uneasy about the confrontation, she later contacted the Dental Board of Australia for advice. They were supportive, stating that she absolutely had the right to choose and that what happened shouldn't have occurred. She believes this raises an important conversation around the use of AI in medical practitioners.

"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."

"I'm a musician and I'm offended that the government had to step in to stop AI from hoovering up all of our stuff. So I have a boycott on AI anyway and I don't think AI is good for the world."

Last month, the Australian government blocked artificial intelligence companies from training their models on Australian creative works. The move could have seen local artists' work recreated and used without royalties paid.

"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."

She understands that doctors may want to use AI due to time constraints and the potential cost savings, but she emphasizes that everyone should have the right to say no.