Jorgensen G. Social media basics for orthodontists. Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop. 2012; 141:510-515
Stephens R, Ryan FS, Cunningham SJ. Information-seeking behaviour of adolescent orthodontic patients. Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop. 2013; 143:303-309
Dogramaci EJ, Rossi-Fedele G. The quality of information on the Internet on orthodontic retainer wear: a cross-sectional study. J Orthod. 2016; 43:47-58
Hegarty E, Campbell C, Grammatopoulos E YouTube as an information resource for orthognathic surgery. J Orthod. 2017; 44:90-96
McMorrow SM, Millett DT. Adult orthodontics: a quality assessment of Internet information. J Orthod. 2016; 43:186-192
Bhamrah G, Ahmad S, NiMhurchadha S. Internet discussion forums, an information and support resource for orthognathic patients. Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop. 2015; 147:89-96
Brady E, Segar J, Sanders C. “I always vet things”: navigating privacy and the presentation of self on health discussion boards among individuals with long-term conditions. J Med Internet Res. 2016; 18:e274-e274
Al-Moghrabi D, Johal A, Fleming PS. What are people tweeting about orthodontic retention? A cross-sectional content analysis. Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop. 2017; 152:516-522
Heaivilin N, Gerbert B, Page JE Public health surveillance of dental pain via Twitter. J Dent Res. 2011; 90:1047-1051
Henzell MR, Knight AM, Morgaine KC A qualitative analysis of orthodontic-related posts on Twitter. Angle Orthod. 2014; 84:203-207
O'Brien K. Communicating orthodontic research via social media. Semin Orthod. 2016; 22:111-115
Al-Silwadi FM, Gill DS, Petrie A Effect of social media in improving knowledge among patients having fixed appliance orthodontic treatment: a single-center randomized controlled trial. Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop. 2015; 148:231-237
Nelson KL, Shroff B, Best AM Orthodontic marketing through social media networks: the patient and practitioner's perspective. Angle Orthod. 2015; 85:1035-1041
Social media has become increasingly relevant to Orthodontics in several ways. This article highlights how both current and prospective patients may utilize social media to access information about, and voice their experiences of, orthodontic treatment. The applications of this to orthodontic research will also be discussed. Orthodontists should be aware of the role of social media in both education and marketing, as well as the current guidance and best practice in these areas. This knowledge should enable clinicians to maximize the advantages and avoid the pitfalls of social media in day-to-day life.
CPD/Clinical Relevance: Clinicians should be aware of the potential impact of social media on education, research, marketing and patients' experiences of treatment.
Article
Social media, defined as web-based services that facilitate collaboration between users,1 can be broadly categorized into 7 areas (Table 1). The inescapable rise of social media over the past decade has impacted upon Orthodontics in a number of ways.
It is well documented that orthodontic patients use the Internet to access information regarding treatment,2 however, regrettably, Internet content for a range of orthodontic topics is of variable quality.3,4,5 The need to navigate this issue by finding novel ways that patients can access evidence-based information to support their decision-making has led to a number of useful ventures.6,7 More work is, however, still needed.
As well as the wider Internet, there is some evidence that orthodontic patients also use social media as a means of seeking information about treatment.8 In this qualitative study, participants highlighted deficiencies in the information provided by clinicians about retainers, including their social impact and how they would appear to others. As a result, participants sought information from other sources, including social media and people with whom they shared close relationships, as a means of reassurance. This led to some participants searching for other people's experiences of orthodontic treatment using Twitter.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Orthodontic Update and reading some of our resources. To read more, please register today. You’ll enjoy the following great benefits:
