# Trained to care, untrained to share: the integration of social media (#SoMe) education in dental specialty programs: a scoping review

## TL;DR

This review explores how social media is used in dentistry and finds that while it's popular, there's a lack of formal training for dental professionals on its ethical and effective use.

## Contribution

The study provides a comprehensive overview of social media use in dentistry and highlights the need for structured curricula in dental specialty programs.

## Key findings

- Research on social media in dentistry increased by 412% between 2015 and 2024.
- Only 7% of studies evaluated formal social media curricula for dental professionals.
- Key challenges include privacy breaches, unprofessional conduct, and misinformation.

## Abstract

Social media (SoMe) is increasingly used in dentistry for patient education, professional networking, and career development, yet formal curricula on its use and digital literacy remain limited in dental specialty programs.

This scoping review the existing literature on SoMe use in dentistry and identify gaps in curricular implementation and policy development for curricular integration in dental specialty training.

Following PRISMA- ScR guidelines, a systematic literature search of PubMed and Scopus for studies published between 2009 and 2024 were searched. Two reviewers identified 2,952 articles, of which 531 met inclusion criteria. Data were extracted and analyzed to identify publication trends, thematic areas, and key findings related to SoMe in dentistry.

Research output grew substantially (412%) between 2015 and 2024. YouTube was the most studied platform (41%), followed by X/Twitter (27%), Instagram (19%), and Facebook (13%). Research involving dental professionals (54%) emphasized continuing education and networking, while patient-focused studies (43%) addressed oral health promotion, misinformation, and treatment decision-making. Only 7% evaluated formal SoMe curricula. Reported challenges, privacy breaches (38%), unprofessional conduct (32%), and misinformation (29%), highlights the need for structured educational content during dental specialty training.

SoMe changed the dynamics of clinical dental practice; however, concerns persist regarding digital literacy and professionalism. Evidence on the structured integration of SoMe into dental specialty curricula remains limited, highlighting the need for educational initiatives to promote ethical digital engagement and oral health communication.

Yin-yang symbol with Challenges in the black section and Benefits in the white section. The left red background highlights Professional Persona, Patient Privacy, and Misinformation. The right blue background emphasizes Patient Education, Learn, Educate, and Personal Branding.Yin-yang symbol with \"Challenges\" in the black section and \"Benefits\" in the white section. The left red background highlights \"Professional Persona,\" \"Patient Privacy,\" and \"Misinformation.\" The right blue background emphasizes \"Patient Education,\" \"Learn,\" \"Educate,\" and \"Personal Branding.\"

Yin-yang symbol with Challenges in the black section and Benefits in the white section. The left red background highlights Professional Persona, Patient Privacy, and Misinformation. The right blue background emphasizes Patient Education, Learn, Educate, and Personal Branding.