Evaluation of accessing information about Orthodontics: a cross-sectional survey study in Türkiye.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background and Aim: Patients use digital platforms to research and learn about various health problems because of ease of information search and communication on the Internet. The aim of this study is to evaluate the resources that patients use to access information about orthodontics. Methods:A questionnaire was created consisting of 13 questions and sent a link to participants. Participants’ age, gender and social media usage level, usage purposes were questioned about orthodontics. The first 2 questions are related to the participant’s personal information (age and gender). The next 3 questions are to investigate the participant’s frequency of Internet use and for what purpose. The next 8 questions inquire about whether the participant uses the Internet for oral health and orthodontics. Results: One thousand twenty participants responded the questionnaire. Six hundred ten of the participants were female and 410 were male. 28.3% of the participants stated that they use the Internet to access social media, 27.2% to do research and 21.9% to follow the news. 76% of participants were active in social media. 43.8% of the participants use the dentist resource to access information about oral health. 29% of the participants reported that they previously used the virtual environment to access orthodontic information. Conclusion: The participants preferred to get information from their relatives and families on orthodontic issues, while they more frequently applied to the dentist to obtain information about oral health. Subjects stated that the most reliable source of information is the dentist.