IADR Abstract Archives
Digital Media Risk Specific to Dental Education and Profession
Objectives: Digital and social media (DSM) has become a great platform to share information and improve communication. However, despite its rapid adoption, it is clear DSM presents risks for dental students and dental professionals. The aim of this study was to explore and understand their risk perceptions of using DSM.
Methods: Ethical approval (LRS-18/19-8867) was granted by King's College London Research Ethics Panel. Seven dental professionals and nine dental students participated in semi-structured interviews. The interview used the topic question guide focused on usage and experience of social media and perceptions for use in dental education. The question topic guide for dental professionals emphasized their perceptions to the integrating of such technology into dental education and clinical practice. All interviews were recorded with a digital voice recorder and were transcribed. Interview data were analysed using thematic analysis with QSR Nvivo12 software.
Results: Two key themes were emerged from the data analysis of interviews: information risk and compliance risk. Regarding information risk, dental students were most concerned about the lack of evidence-based and trustworthiness of dental information and deceptive information that potentially disclosed to the public. In addition to the previous risk perceptions among dental students, dental professionals reported social media as an open-source with lack of control and many advisers, so affecting the quality/reliability of the information. On the theme of compliance, both groups reported their concerns of using social media without violating patient privacy and ethical obligations.
Conclusions: This study suggests more training and guidance needs to be implemented to help dental students and professionals to mitigate these risks.
More in-depth interviews and investigations will be carried out to explore and examine more risk perceptions associated with dental education.
Methods: Ethical approval (LRS-18/19-8867) was granted by King's College London Research Ethics Panel. Seven dental professionals and nine dental students participated in semi-structured interviews. The interview used the topic question guide focused on usage and experience of social media and perceptions for use in dental education. The question topic guide for dental professionals emphasized their perceptions to the integrating of such technology into dental education and clinical practice. All interviews were recorded with a digital voice recorder and were transcribed. Interview data were analysed using thematic analysis with QSR Nvivo12 software.
Results: Two key themes were emerged from the data analysis of interviews: information risk and compliance risk. Regarding information risk, dental students were most concerned about the lack of evidence-based and trustworthiness of dental information and deceptive information that potentially disclosed to the public. In addition to the previous risk perceptions among dental students, dental professionals reported social media as an open-source with lack of control and many advisers, so affecting the quality/reliability of the information. On the theme of compliance, both groups reported their concerns of using social media without violating patient privacy and ethical obligations.
Conclusions: This study suggests more training and guidance needs to be implemented to help dental students and professionals to mitigate these risks.
More in-depth interviews and investigations will be carried out to explore and examine more risk perceptions associated with dental education.