Table 1 Types of social media and examples of their use in dentistry
From: Conflicting demands that dental professionals experience when using social media
Type of social media | Description | Example of this type of social media | Example of use in dentistry |
|---|---|---|---|
Blogs | Blogs consist of journal or diary style entries on a topic chosen by usually one author.1 | Twitter is based on microblogging.1 It allows users to follow one another and to connect over shared interests.3 | Kevin O'Brien's blog about orthodontics.4 The political campaign against the General Dental Council's increase in the annual retention fee (ARF) was widely discussed on Twitter through the hashtag 'ARFhike'. |
Social Networking Sites | Social networks involve some form of personal profile and lists of users; users can then connect via profile access and/or messaging systems.1 | Facebook allows users to create a multi-dimensional profile. Virtual friendships allow for profiles to be viewable by others.3 LinkedIn's focus is for professional contacts and development.3 Instagram is a photograph and video sharing site. As well as sharing posts with followers it can be linked to other forms of social media. | Mc Crory and Jacobs' poll of dentists on the website gdpuk.com found that 72% had a Facebook account. Of those with an account, only 37% posted on it regularly.5 The Facebook group 'For Dentists, By Dentists' is used by dentists to discuss issues relevant to dentistry - clinical, academic and managerial. |
Content Communities | Content communities involve the sharing of media.1 | YouTube is a video sharing site - the intention of the videos being entertainment, information and advertising.6 | YouTube videos of Whoopi Goldberg speaking about periodontal disease.7 Dentists use YouTube videos for their educational value eg to watch dental procedures.6,8 |
Collaborative Projects | Collaborative projects allow for multi user content creation.1 | Wikipedia is a website that provides information on a vast array of topics in a similar way to an Encyclopaedia.1 | The information provided on Wikipedia is not necessarily accurate or evidenced-based best practice. Despite this, internet users - patients and clinicians - often believe it to be true.1 |
Virtual Worlds | Virtual worlds are online simulated environments.1 | Linden Lab's Second Life uses custom avatars set in a virtual world - there are public areas (open to everyone) and islands (private groups).9 | Second Life has been used to provide a simulated environment for dental education eg infection control scenarios.9 |
