Is Social Media a Boon or Bane for Orthodontics in the Current Digital Age: A Cross-Sectional Electronic Survey

Abstract

BACKGROUND  Social media is an online platform where people share their experiences, perspectives, and opinions individually or in groups. There has been a rapid increase in internet users after the introduction of social media sites such as Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter. Other than primary means of communication, social media aids in distributing healthcare information among professionals and patients. It enhances the knowledge of health care to the patients, but on the contrary, patients can be misguided by false information influenced by unauthorized professionals as it is readily available. With the same objective in mind, the study was undertaken to investigate the perspective of Indian orthodontists on social media use and to assess the potential benefits and disadvantages of social media along with its role in health care education. MATERIALS AND METHODS A cross-sectional online questionnaire survey was designed to consist of 42 questions related to the perspectives of Indian orthodontic professionals on the use of social media in orthodontic practice. The questionnaire was sent to 800 registered Indian orthodontists through electronic mail. RESULTS A total of only 173 orthodontists responded to the online survey. The electronic survey showed that the phone was the most preferred communication tool in the practice with the patients (87.2%). The most common social media platform for sharing patient information was Instagram (82.5%). The survey showed that none of the orthodontists have received formal training or certification on using social media (85.7%). The reliability of social media platforms is very low (34.9%). Social media would affect the patient's choice of healthcare provider (87.3%). The majority of orthodontists have agreed that there should be regulations for quality control on social media to share patient information (90.5%). CONCLUSIONS The study's findings offer valuable insights into the current landscape of social media usage among Indian orthodontists. While social media presents numerous opportunities for communication, education, and practice promotion, it also poses challenges related to training, misinformation, patient privacy, and regulatory oversight. Addressing these challenges requires a concerted effort from orthodontists, regulatory bodies, and digital platforms to develop and implement guidelines that promote responsible social media usage while upholding professional standards and patient welfare. By leveraging social media effectively and ethically, orthodontists can enhance patient engagement, education, and practice visibility in the digital age.