Social media as a path to acquire dental home for children: A cross-sectional study in Qatar

The dental home is essential for maintaining proper oral health in children. This study explores parents' perspectives on using social media to find a dental home for their preschool-aged children.

A cross-sectional study was conducted using a questionnaire administered to parents visiting Sidra Medicine, the only tertiary pediatric center in the State of Qatar.

A total of 384 questionnaires were completed by parents and caregivers, resulting in a 94% response rate. The majority of participating parents (66.9%) were male, with over 30 years of age accounting for 45.8%, and about half of them were college graduates. After learning about the concept of a dental home for preschool children, 73% of parents expressed interest. Nearly all participants were active on social media, and about 60.2% preferred to receive oral health messages through these platforms, while 10.9% were unsure. Furthermore, almost 60% believed that social media could influence their decision to seek a dental home, and 77.6% agreed that social media would be an effective way to promote proper oral hygiene. Facebook and Instagram were the two major platforms where our participants preferred to receive information regarding dental health. Importantly, three-quarters of the participants felt that primary care physicians or their representatives should use social media to send reminders about dental home care. Statistical analysis was performed to examine associations between parental age, gender, and educational status in relation to their perceptions of using social media to find a dental home for their children, but the results did not reveal any statistically significant correlations.

Social media can be a valuable tool for disseminating information and promoting the concept of a dental home for preschool children. In addition to social media, pediatricians can play a crucial role in advocating for the idea of a dental home for children.