Effect of social media on patient’s awareness of orthodontic treatment

Background The lack of studies and sometimes conflicting results in this field, has required that this study be conducted with the aim of improving treatment results in dental health care system. Methods The present study was conducted with the cooperation of 300 orthodontic patients. Participants were asked to answer the questionnaire consisted of 13 questions, about their use of internet and social media in their orthodontic treatments. After collecting data, statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS version 16 software. Results In the current study, More than half of the participants, used 1–3 hours of their time daily to use the Internet. 69.3% of the population used Instagram to get information. 67.7% of people believed that social networks did not have a direct impact on their decisions about orthodontic treatment. The most searched topics were related to the quality of treatment. 73% of the people participating in the study believed that social networks have improved their knowledge about orthodontics. Conclusion To receive information related to orthodontics and search about their treatment, patients referred to social networks with a significant percentage, which increased their knowledge but did not affect their decision making in orthodontic treatment.