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Social Media Use by Dental Students in Dental Education
Social Media Use by Dental Students in Dental Education
Ellen Lee, D.D.S.; Brian Chin, M.B.A.; Ningshu Lyu, D.D.S.; Yueqi Gao, D.D.S.; Yixin Bao, D.D.S.; Jacob Kim; Kaiden Park, D.D.S.
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to evaluate dental student preferences for the use of social media in dental education. Our aim is to determine what students consider the best types of social media for dental education.
Social media allows users to share content using technology.[1] It allows people to maintain contact with friends and family, share their interests and helps them connect with people with similar interests. Social media also facilitates information sharing among users and assists them in exploring new things. These platforms help to share educational material and connect those with similar interests.
There are numerous social media platforms, including Facebook, X (formerly, Twitter), TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a greater shift to online learning and communication. These platforms can be used to network, share photos and videos, and learn both new and old dental techniques.
Methods
A 14-question survey was sent through Surveys (Qualtrics) to the first-, second-, third- and fourth-year students at New York University College of Dentistry. This voluntary, anonymous survey asked the students what year of dental school they were in and their gender. They were asked: which social media platforms they use frequently, which platform provided the most awareness of current dental trends, which provided the most learning information, which pro-
vided the best means for organization and scheduling of events, which was best for communication among dental students, which was the best network for dental students, which was best for mental health, which was better for didactic learning, which was better for hands-on demonstrations and to write down any social media platform that was not listed that they used.
A total of 221 students responded to the survey. Each class has over 300 students.
As the chart shows, 37% of the total number of students said they use both YouTube and Instagram most frequently. Fifty-eight percent of the total number of students felt that Instagram provides the most awareness of current dental trends; 64% of the total number of students felt that Facebook was the best media platform for the organization and scheduling of events, as shown in Figure 1; 63% of the total number of students felt that YouTube provided the most learning information; and 57% of the total number of students felt that Instagram was the best communication among dental students, as shown in the chart.
Forty-seven percent of the total number of students use social media to destress, as shown in Figure 2; 62% of the total number of students felt that Instagram is the best networking for dental students, as seen in Figure 3; 44% of the total number of students felt that YouTube was best for destressing; 84% of the total number of students felt that YouTube is the best media platform for didactic learning; 86% of the total number of students felt that YouTube is the best media platform for hands-on demonstrations. As shown in Figure 3, YouTube is the most popular platform overall. Other social media platforms that some students use include Snapchat, GroupMe and WhatsApp.
Discussion
Facebook is a global site that allows individuals to share photos, videos, music and comments. According to Kenny, in 2016,[2] Facebook was the most commonly used site by dental students. Facebook can be used to assist learners in collaborating with other people. It will also allow students to share their knowledge, work and ideas on the platform, which may be of assistance to others.
Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, X and YouTube are major social media platforms. Dental students in the research conducted by Rajeh,[3] reported they had an average of four social media accounts and spent at least three hours per week on social media. This study also reported that dental students used social media for entertainment (81.4%), dental education (70.8%), seeking basic information (63.3%), exchanging general thoughts (63.1%) and community general discussion (55.8%).[3] Our study showed that mental health (destress) and communication were the most common reasons social media was used (Figure 2).
YouTube is a website where members can upload, share and comment on videos of any topic. Students and teachers can post videos with information that can assist in their education.[5]
X (formerly, Twitter) is a social networking site that allows its users to send “tweets” to their followers. Tweets are short postings and messages and can include images. X can be useful for interactive learning especially because of fewer advertisements and high interaction exchanges.[4] By using hashtags, users can access tweets related to a specific subject.
TikTok is a video-sharing website that allows users to make and share short films. Young people mostly use this app to express themselves by singing, dancing, lip-syncing and even generating short creative movies. Because this is a popular platform for the newer, younger generation, TikTok may be used to promote technologies like 3D printing, which is used by dentists for dentures, clear teeth aligners, dental models, surgical guides and dental crown substructures.
YouTube is a website where members can upload, share and comment on videos of any topic. Students and teachers can post videos with information that can assist in their education.[5] According to the study by Seo,[6] students reported a better understanding of traditional lectures by viewing the clinical periodontology microlecture YouTube videos before the class started. YouTube can be used to watch and learn how to do clinical procedures. Fu[7] found YouTube to be the most commonly used social media for learning clinical dental procedures in United States dental schools. Dental students claimed YouTube videos help them to expand their knowledge and clinical skills and improve their visualization and understanding of the procedures they had never performed before.[3,8,9] YouTube offers dental students a convenient way to learn the latest knowledge and techniques after graduation. Our study also showed YouTube was the most popular social media platform (Figure 3).
Instagram is a website where users can post pictures and videos and connect with friends. These can be edited and organized with hashtags. Instagram offers visual aids; and these visual resources are particularly helpful in learning anatomy-related education in dental education.[10] Instagram can also be used to sell items from vendors, for self-promotion, and to compare the effects of dental procedures on patients.[11]
A study comparing hands-on live demonstration vs. video-supported demonstration found that video-supported, instructor-guided presentation of dental operations may be equivalent to live hands-on demonstration in undergraduate dental education.[12] As a result, video content platforms such as YouTube and Instagram are more valuable and effective aids for students.
LinkedIn is a professional network that allows users to post their professional profiles to enable connections with potential employees and employers of companies. It is used for networking in a career. LinkedIn is one way for dentists to connect with other dentists. Students can use it to look for jobs.
Conclusion
There are many social media platforms on the Internet. They are used for instant communication of information. YouTube and Instagram are the two social media platforms that are used frequently (37%). Instagram provides the most awareness of current dental trends (58%), the best communication among dental students (57%) and the best networking for dental students (62%). YouTube provides the most learning information (63%), which is better for didactic learning (84%) and for hands-on demonstration (86%). Facebook is better for organizing and scheduling events (64%).
Dental students use social media tools to support their education and to communicate with other students.
All the authors have declared they have no relevant relationships to any of the sites mentioned in this paper. Queries about this article can be addressed to Dr. Lee at el84@nyu.edu.
REFERENCES
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Ellen Lee, D.D.S., is clinical assistant professor, Department of Cariology and Comprehensive Care, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, NY.
Brian Chin, M.B.A., Ningshu Lyu, D.D.S., Yueqi Gao, D.D.S., Yixin Bao, D.D.S., Kaiden Park, D.D.S., are recent graduates of New York University College of Dentistry, New York, NY.
Jacob Kim is a dental student at New York University College of Dentistry, New York, NY.
