Meeting the Dental Student Who Built an AI Tool That Made Me Rethink Everything About Patient Experience
It’s a regular night, and I’m winding down. I’m scrolling through dental AI articles online – because that’s apparently what I do for fun now – and I stumble across this piece that just stops me cold. The author? Some orthodontics resident at Harvard who’s writing about AI in dentistry like she’s been doing it for decades.
Here’s what happened next – I reached out to Dr. Cami Tussie expecting maybe a polite response, if anything. Instead, this incredibly kind person gets back to me immediately and agrees to come on the show. But here’s the thing that really got me: she’s not just talking about AI, she’s actually building custom solutions that are solving real problems in dental practices right now.
Dr. Tussie is a bioengineering graduate from Stanford who’s currently in her orthodontics residency at Harvard. Her parents run a dental practice in South Florida, and she’s been neck-deep in the intersection of technology and dentistry since before ChatGPT was even a thing. Check out her practice insights on Instagram.
The Problem That’s Been Bugging Me For Years
I’ve been doing dental marketing for 15 years, and there’s this one issue that comes up in literally every pediatric practice I work with. Kids are terrified of the dentist. Parents dread bringing them in. The whole experience feels clinical and scary, and honestly, it’s a marketing nightmare.
We’ve tried everything – colorful waiting rooms, cartoon characters on the walls, prize boxes full of cheap toys. But here’s the brutal truth: most of these “solutions” feel forced and don’t actually address the core problem. Kids still leave the appointment feeling like they just survived something rather than enjoyed something.
The worst part? I’m watching practices spend thousands on elaborate waiting room makeovers while missing this massive opportunity to create genuinely personalized, memorable experiences that kids actually want to share with their friends.
The Moment That Changed My Perspective
Then Dr. Tussie tells me this story that really hit me. She’s sitting in the dental chair as a kid, finding out she’s missing 13 permanent teeth, and both she and her mom are crying hysterically. But instead of that traumatic experience pushing her away from dentistry, it made her realize something powerful: “As a dentist, you’re literally giving someone the ability to smile.”
That’s when it clicked for me. We’ve been thinking about patient experience all wrong. Instead of trying to distract kids from the dental experience, what if we could make the dental experience itself something they’re excited about?
The Solution – It’s Pretty Cool
Then this brilliant resident shows me something I’ve never seen before – she’s built a custom GPT that creates personalized poems and cartoons for pediatric patients. Here’s how it works: while the child is in the chair, the dental team gathers simple information – their name, what they look like, where they’re from, what they love to eat, their hobbies.
They input this into Dr. Tussie’s custom GPT, and within minutes, it generates a personalized rhyming poem about the child’s dental visit that includes them by name, incorporates their interests, and even features Dr. Tussie as their dentist. But here’s the part that made my jaw drop – it also creates a custom cartoon illustration of the child in the dental chair, complete with all their personal details.
I tried it myself during our interview. Put in that I was 10 years old, loved frogs and bugs, and played basketball. The result? An adorable poem that started with “In a room full of tools, both shiny and neat, Adrian bounced in on fast-moving feet with sneakers still dusty from basketball fun.” The cartoon showed me with a frog on my shirt and a bug in my hand, sitting happily in the dental chair with Dr. Tussie.
The Numbers That Made Me Do a Double-Take
Here’s what really sold me on this approach: Dr. Tussie says every single parent asks for a copy of their child’s personalized poem and cartoon after the appointment. Every. Single. One.
But here’s the business impact that got me excited – these parents consistently post these personalized creations on social media. Think about that for a second. Instead of dreading the dentist visit, families are voluntarily creating positive social media content about your practice. The ROI on something like this is insane, right?
The cost? About $20-30 per month for a ChatGPT Pro subscription. The time investment? Maybe 5-10 minutes while the child is getting comfortable in the chair. Compare that to the thousands practices spend on waiting room renovations that don’t generate any ongoing marketing value.
Why This Changes Everything
This isn’t just a cool tech trick – it’s a fundamental shift in how we think about patient experience. Here’s what this approach solves all at once:
Patient Anxiety: Kids go from dreading the dentist to asking when they can come back for their next cartoon.
Social Media Marketing: Parents become voluntary brand ambassadors, posting personalized content that’s actually engaging rather than generic practice photos.
Competitive Differentiation: While other practices are doing the same old prize box routine, you’re creating truly memorable, shareable experiences.
Staff Efficiency: The time spent creating these personalized touches actually helps with patient management, giving kids something to focus on while procedures are happening.
Trust me, I’ve watched this cycle happen probably a thousand times – practices try to create memorable experiences through expensive physical upgrades, but those don’t create ongoing value. This approach turns every patient visit into potential marketing content that parents actually want to share.
What This Means for Your Practice
Look, I’m already planning to recommend this approach to every pediatric practice I work with through MSP. But here’s what really excites me about this – it’s not just about the technology. It’s about understanding that personalization at scale is now possible in ways we never imagined.
Dr. Tussie mentioned using this with adult patients too, and they go crazy for it. One patient asked to include their dog in the cartoon. Another wanted their cartoon framed. We’re talking about creating genuine emotional connections with patients using AI tools that cost less than most practices spend on coffee each month.
The cultural shift this creates in a practice is huge. Instead of rushing through appointments, you’re taking time to learn about patients as individuals. Instead of seeing technology as impersonal, you’re using it to create deeply personal experiences.
Try It Out Yourself
Dr. Tussie has offered to help any practice interested in setting up their own custom GPT for patient engagement. You can reach out to her directly (her contact form can be found here), and she’s also available for speaking engagements if you want to bring this kind of thinking to your dental organization.
The setup process is surprisingly straightforward if you have a ChatGPT Pro account, and Dr. Tussie walks through the exact steps in our interview. Trust me on this one – this is the kind of simple innovation that separates practices that thrive from practices that just survive.
In This Episode:
Dr. Cami Tussie, DMD
Dr. Cami Tussie is a Stanford bioengineer, Harvard-trained dentist, and Harvard Orthodontics resident who is passionate about bringing innovation to the field of dentistry. Cami’s research includes the applications of large-language models in dental care, evaluating associated risks, and practical implementation strategies to clinical and administrative dental medicine.
Adrian Lefler, CEO and Co-founder of My Social Practice
Adrian Lefler, CEO of My Social Practice, is a seasoned expert in the dental marketing industry with 14 years of experience. He is widely recognized for his engaging and informative presentations. Based in Suncrest, Utah, Adrian shares his life with his wife, four children, and a lively mix of pets. My Social Practice is a leading dental marketing company, and Adrian is passionate about helping dental professionals succeed in this dynamic field.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need technical expertise to create custom GPTs for my dental practice?
Not at all! Dr. Tussie emphasizes that if you can type and follow simple prompts, you can build these tools. The key is starting simple and refining as you go. You’ll need a ChatGPT Pro subscription (about $20-30/month), but the actual creation process is designed for non-technical users.
How do I ensure patient privacy when using AI tools like custom GPTs?
This is crucial – never input actual patient names or identifying information into any AI platform. Dr. Tussie uses generic names and descriptions (like “8-year-old with blonde hair who loves ice cream”) rather than real patient data. Always check that any AI tool you use is HIPAA-compliant for your specific use case.
What's the realistic time investment for creating personalized content during patient visits?
The actual content generation takes 2-3 minutes once you input the basic information. The real time is spent gathering those personal details from the child, which Dr. Tussie says is great for patient rapport anyway. Most practices find they can easily incorporate this into their normal chair-side conversation time.
Can this approach work for adult patients or just pediatric dentistry?
Dr. Tussie has successfully used personalized AI content with adult patients too. Adults often request to include family members, pets, or hobbies in their custom content. The key is reading the room – some adults love the novelty, while others prefer a more traditional approach.
How quickly can I expect to see ROI from implementing personalized AI patient content?
The social media impact is typically immediate – parents start posting within hours of the appointment. For new patient acquisition, most practices see increased referrals and positive online reviews within the first month. The content also helps with patient retention since kids actually look forward to their next visit.
