Analysis of dentistry content on instagram® and the use of social networks by brazilian dental students

Abstract

Aim: The aim of our study was to analyze the content related to dentistry published on Instagram® and to investigate the students’ profiles related to the use of social networks in a sample from a Dentistry School. Methods: This study was carried out in two stages. First, research was conducted to analyze content published on Instagram® related to dentistry. The second part investigated the profiles of students’ from a dental school in relation to the use of social networks through a questionnaire. A descriptive analysis was performed and associations between the variables were tested using Fisher’s exact test. Results: We found a diversified and large amount of content related to dentistry published on Instagram®, and publications that involved advertising were more prevalent in our study. There are also many publications that are violating the Code of Dental Ethics. In addition, in the second part of our study, we observed an enormous use of social networks by dental students (98.4%). Conclusions: As a result, we believe that it is important to update professionals about the ethical infractions related to social networks which could be approached during graduate courses in universities. Finally, the analyzed social network seems to be an interesting alternative for disseminating health information in order to dialogue with greater proximity to the large number of users who participate in it.

Connectivity and Integration of Instagram® Use in the Lives of Dental Students and Professionals: A Country-Wide Cross-Sectional Study Using the InstaAA© Questionnaire

“…The findings highlight the prevalence and relevance of Instagram ® in the lives of Dental students, particularly among women and those in the early stages of their professional journey. These findings are in accordance with studies reported by Al-Khalifa et al, 13 Meira et al, 14 and Cumerlato et al 15 …”

“…The findings highlight the prevalence and relevance of Instagram ® in the lives of Dental students, particularly among women and those in the early stages of their professional journey. These findings are in accordance with studies reported by Al-Khalifa et al, 13 Meira et al, 14 and Cumerlato et al 15 Mondkar et al, reported that a sizable percentage of people (87%) use the internet either regularly or nearly daily. Additionally, 79% of people use mobile devices to access the internet, making it simple to connect to social networking sites.…”

The Use of Instagram by Periodontics Professionals: A Comprehensive Characterization Study

“…For example, using photographs of before and after results can create unrealistic expectations for patients with more difficult cases. (16,17) According to one study, most professional content on social media is intended for health professionals, making engagement between clinicians and patients unlikely. 18 As demonstrated by the Cumerlato et al (16) study, advertising-related posts were the most common, rising from 31,8% in 2.016 to 52,7% in 2.020.…”

“…(16,17) According to one study, most professional content on social media is intended for health professionals, making engagement between clinicians and patients unlikely. 18 As demonstrated by the Cumerlato et al (16) study, advertising-related posts were the most common, rising from 31,8% in 2.016 to 52,7% in 2.020. Similarly, promotional publications accounted for 67% of both men and women in our study, indicating an increase in digital marketing and labor competition.…”

“…The potential for false information and the dissemination of unsupported claims is one of the main issues when using social media to share health-related professional content. (16,(19)(20)(21) Another significant disadvantage is the increasing trend of professionals publishing content that violates the code of ethics in their profession. This includes uploading before and after images without obtaining prior authorization from the patients.…”