Phys.org (09/04/26) Harley, Sadie; Zinn, Andrew

Researchers at the University of Rochester have developed and piloted SOPHIE (Standardized Online Patient for Healthcare Interaction Education), an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered virtual patient platform. The tool is designed to help dental residents improve communication skills that are essential for building trust and addressing patients' fears, anxieties, and concerns about treatment. Developed through a collaboration between the Eastman Institute for Oral Health and the university's Department of Computer Science, SOPHIE provides an interactive, browser-based environment in which trainees can repeatedly practice challenging patient conversations, receive feedback, and refine skills such as active listening, empathy, asking open-ended questions, and explaining care clearly. Organized around the principles of “Empower, Empathy, and Explicit,” the training aims to enhance patient-centered communication while accommodating cultural and language differences. Residents who participated in the pilot reported greater confidence in handling difficult interactions, and AI-generated assessments suggested improvements in communication behaviors. The researchers believe the scalable platform offers a practical supplement to traditional standardized-patient training and may help clinicians deliver more compassionate, patient-focused dental care. The findings are reported in the Journal of Dental Education.

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