“Snap, Share, Smile: How Dental Photography on Social Media Shapes Patient Choices and Treatment Preferences”

The implementation of dental images across social media has transformed numerous elements of everyday dental practice, particularly in patient interaction, case demonstration, and dialogue. This research explored the effect of dental photography on social media in the decision-making process of selecting dental professionals in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Women were found to be more inclined to choose a dentist who shares their cases on social media and to base their selection on the dentist’s online presence. Users of Instagram were also more likely to make their choice of dentist influenced by past case reviews. Conversely, younger people were less inclined to switch dentists based on social media popularity.

Maintaining a social media profile as a dentist has evolved into a vital aspect of the profession, influencing practice promotion, reputation development, and public awareness [3]. Our study aimed to assess the effectiveness of social media in dental practice, and both females and males acknowledged that a strong social media presence is an influential factor in their choice of dentist, with percentages of 70.1% for females and 56.4% for males. Observing before and after treatment photographs may provide insight into a dentist’s proficiency and thus affect patients’ choices [3, 7]. In a similar vein, a majority of participants acknowledged that viewing precursor and subsequent images fortified their trust in the treating dentist. Dentist photography, especially when illustrating aesthetic outcomes and clinical situations, plays a crucial role in developing patient trust [19]. In an era dominated by digital content, visual materials are a formidable instrument for healthcare marketing, and dental practices can utilize photography to affirm credibility, showcase expertise, and foster relationships with patients [20].

With all the latest advancements in dental procedures and the different specialties that have emerged over the years, contemporary patients have numerous options available. It is essential to comprehend the criteria that patients rely on to select their dental care providers. This understanding will enable dental practitioners globally to enhance or modify their services for improved patient care [21]. Social media has become a crucial instrument for dental practices to engage patients, advertise services, and increase brand visibility. Through platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube, dental practices can successfully interact with their intended audience, educate them about oral health, display their proficiency, and create a strong online presence [22]. Marketing represents another key motive for dentists to utilize social media, as it serves as a cost-effective method for reaching numerous potential new patients seeking a dentist’s skills and offerings. A significant number of participants in the current study reported that social media influenced their choice of dentist or prompted them to change dentists. This observation aligns with previous research conducted in Saudi Arabia [3], yet it contrasts with findings by Parmar and colleagues [18], where social media was deemed insignificant in their patients’ decision-making process when selecting a dental practice; instead, they valued referrals from friends and family.

Over the years, researchers have examined factors affecting the utilization of dental care. Gender, age, education, income, geography, and overall health were identified as some proposed elements that influenced dental service usage [23]. Generally, women reported attending dental visits more frequently than men [24, 25], and this disparity is attributed to the idea that women are more likely than men to perceive their oral health as impacting their well-being, appearance, and quality of life [26,27,28]. In this study, women engaged with social media more than men and displayed a greater likelihood of their choice of a treating dentist being influenced by social media, echoing findings from a prior national study [17]. The notable differences in social media usage between genders are likely attributed to normative gender roles, peer group cultures, and the variety of content, features, and communication styles offered by different platforms [29]. It has also been suggested that women often use social media for emotional purposes more than men, while men tend to seek skills for general information [30]. Gender differences were also noted in terms of the types of social media utilized and their impact on users. Snapchat emerged as the most frequently utilized platform, particularly among women. Women’s selection of a dentist was more heavily influenced by reviewing previous cases, and they perceived a social media presence as an effective means of choosing a treating dentist.

This analysis shed light on the reality that older adults were less likely to be swayed by dental photographs featuring case before-and-after scenarios shared on social media, and they were also less prone to switch their dentists based on social media popularity. Previous studies have indicated that younger age demographics were more inclined to use social media to explore dental aesthetics compared to their older counterparts [31]. Cross-sectional examinations of Internet usage patterns in older adults indicated that usage rates decrease with greater physical and cognitive challenges. However, the way age groups differ in their Internet engagement remains unclear, as physical and memory difficulties tend to become more pronounced over time. Additionally, factors such as increasing accessibility and societal influences, as well as the evolving cognitive complexity of Internet-capable devices, may also impact Internet usage trends [4]. Therefore, dentists leveraging social media as a marketing tool should take into consideration the simplicity, clarity, and affordability when targeting older populations. Variances in how younger and older cohorts utilize social media to investigate dental aesthetics are influenced by technological adeptness, aesthetic values, and styles of engagement. By adjusting marketing approaches to these distinct needs, dental practices can effectively appeal to both groups. For younger demographics, content that is visual and trend-centric, collaborations with influencers, and interactive marketing can generate engagement, while mature audiences may respond better to educational, practical content and testimonials highlighting aesthetic and functional advantages.

This study possesses certain limitations that ought to be acknowledged. As this research is fundamentally cross-sectional, it can illustrate associations but not causal relationships. Furthermore, the non-probability sampling method and the reliance on self-administered questionnaires are subject to recall bias, desirability bias, or participants’ interpretations of the questions posed. Participants who actively follow their dentist on social media might already harbor positive views, which could skew the results towards an overly favorable perception of the impact of dental photography. Another limitation concerns the technique used for gathering pertinent data via electronic surveys and the limited representation of platforms. It is plausible that a significant segment of the target population either refrained from responding to electronic surveys or didn’t employ such communication methods. The study utilized a convenience sample from both public and private dental practices, which might not reflect the broader population of Saudi Arabia. This strategy limits the applicability of the findings to various demographics, regions, or populations that do not frequent these specific facilities. Moreover, the results may not pertain to individuals from different educational or cultural backgrounds or those residing in economically disadvantaged countries, as their responses could differ markedly.