Social selling the truth: The dental hygienist's role in closing the dental “curiosity gap” influenced by social media

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Social media is a global power tool that can be used to create, share, and exchange information.¹ On one hand, it can inspire learning, understanding, and evolution, but unfortunately, the internet is littered with both reliable and unreliable sources. While social media is shown to positively impact health-care research, patient education, and engagement, it can also be a catalyst for misinformation.² Social media platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Reddit house an unabated number of DIY dental "hacks," including orthodontic procedures, teeth whitening, restorative procedures, cosmetic recontouring, and more. These "hacks" often lack evidence-based validation and are portrayed as a shortcut to bypass dental care from a licensed oral health professional.³

Trust your dental hygienist, not a TikTok influencer

The therapy delivered by a dental hygienist extends beyond the treatment performed in the dental chair. The primary role of a dental hygienist is to be an advocate and educator for oral health by providing patients with evidence-based recommendations. Dental hygienists are trained to appraise evidence based on the hierarchy of evidence and the rigor (i.e., precision and strength) of the research methodology.

Social media has become a major influencer in modern society and has an ever-evolving dynamic.² The dental hygiene profession is committed to lifelong learning, giving dental hygienists the unique ability to remain up to date on evidence-based oral health practices and debunk viral trends. Martin Gardner, the father of the modern skeptical movement, succinctly wrote: "In the long run, good science drives out bad."⁴  To close the dental curiosity gap circulated by social media, oral health practitioners should engage in open discussions that acknowledge non-evidence-based oral health trends. They can address questions, concerns, and influence clients' perceptions of oral health care-and unusual oral health practices.

Social selling the truth

Research shows that almost 75% of the global population use the internet to access health information.⁵ Research is typically conducted by the client before seeking treatment from a health professional-dentists and hygienists included. Oral health professionals are no strangers to challenges, but due to the information spread on social media, hygienists may encounter clients seeking to challenge them with their "findings."

To educate patients properly, dental hygienists should familiarize themselves with oral health information that may be going viral.⁵ Clinicians should promote credible sources like peer-reviewed, association, government, and/or academic websites among their clients. They should also encourage their patients to inspect the domain of websites, giving credence to credible sites (i.e., .gov, .org, .edu, etc.) over commercial or sharing webpages that can pay to be a top search engine hit.⁵ A collaborative approach to safeguarding may also be undertaken by encouraging clients to report inappropriate or false content through the platform's reporting system(s).

Curiosity brought the gap: Knowledge sent it back! Additional ways that dental hygienists can stay in the loop include:

• Creating a chairside reference list of credible oral health literature sources that can be distributed to clients.

• Informing clients on basic literature screening methods. The clinician should encourage their clients to check the dates of the sources they are reading or viewing. Information that is five years old or more may be considered out-of-date or since proven false.5

• Encouraging clients to check the credentials of the content creator. This discussion creates opportunities to promote evidence-based influencers who make safe and educational oral-health content (Whitney DiFoggio, teethtalkgirl,; Dr. Ben Winters, TheBentist, etc.)

• Using their office's website to post informative content. A short blog or webpage can be added to an existing website, addressing the negative implications of viral "hacks."

• Highlighting the validity of the ADA and/or Canadian Dental Association (CDA) seal of acceptance on commercial dental products. The clinician can help protect their clients from the unsubstantiated claims of viral products like charcoal toothpaste or toothbrushes that allude to being antibacterial and/or antimicrobial. The seal signifies the product has undergone strict independent testing and is supported by scientific evidence.

• Reminding clients that social media posts are often unverified, unregulated, and monetized for views. Above all, clients should be reminded that viral oral health recommendations are not tailored to their unique oral health needs. Effective person-centered oral health advice stems from assessments, which are client-specific.

Conclusion

Social media plays a significant role in keeping society informed, but also presents a unique challenge due to its easily misconstrued nature. In a world where attention is rarely undivided, a routine dental hygiene appointment could be the catalyst to informing many!. During a dental appointment, clients lay back and literally see the light, completely disconnected from social media. As dental hygienists, we are taught not only to prevent and manage oral diseases, but to educate our patients. While we work on them, we can initiate or engage in open and honest communication, but most importantly, provide them with clear and safe oral health information. And that's a fact!

References

1. Bhola SS, Hellyer P. The risks and benefits of social media in dental foundation training. Br Dent J. 2016;221(10):609-613. doi:10.1038/sj.bdj.2016.85
2. Jeyaraman M, Ramasubramanian S, Kumar S, et al. Multifaceted role of social media in healthcare: opportunities, challenges, and the need for quality control. Cureus. 2023;15(5):e39111. doi:10.7759/cureus.39111
3. Decloux D. Grin and share it: unmasking the reality behind social media and dentistry. Oral Health. 2024;2:36.
4. Gardner M. The night is large: collected essays, 1938-1995/Martin Gardner. St. Martin's Press New York; 1996.
5. Ruiz M, Kabani F, Cotter J. A review of the effects of oral health media hype on clients' perception of treatment. Can J Dent Hyg. 2022;56(1):31-38.