Artificial Intelligence-based chatbots in providing space maintainer related information for pediatric patients and parents: A comparative study

Background Artificial Intelligence-based chatbots have phenomenal popularity in various areas including spreading medical information. To assess the features of two different chatbots on providing space maintainer related information for pediatric patients and parents. Methods 12 space maintainer-related questions were formed in accordance with the current guidelines and were directed to ChatGPT-3.5 and ChatGPT-4. The answers were assessed regarding the criteria of quality, reliability, readability, and similarity with the previous papers by recruiting the tools EQIP, DISCERN, FRES, FKRGL calculation, GQS, and the Similarity Index. Results ChatGPT-3.5 and 4 revealed that both tools have similar mean values regarding the assessed parameters. ChatGPT-3.5 revealed an outstanding quality and ChatGPT-4 revealed a good quality with mean values of 4.58 ± 0.515 and 4.33 ± 0.492, respectively. The tools also performed high reliability with mean values of 3.33 ± 0.492 and 3.58 ± 0.515 (ChatGPT-3.5, ChatGPT-4; respectively). The readability scores seemed to require an education of a college degree and the similarity levels were lesser than 10% for both chatbots whit a high originality. Conclusions The outcome of this study shows that recruiting AI-based chatbots, ChatGPT for receiving space maintainer-related information can be a useful attempt for those who are seeking medical information regarding pediatric space maintainers on the internet.