Learning needs and the use of social media for professional learning among UK dental professionals

Aims To investigate how UK dental professionals use social media for professional learning, to identify associated learning needs, and to examine the opportunities and challenges this presents for continuing professional development (CPD).Methods A cross-sectional, mixed-methods online survey gathered 381 responses from UK-registered dentists and dental care professionals (DCPs). Quantitative data on demographics and platform use were analysed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and multiple logistic regression. Qualitative free-text responses were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.Results A total of 381 participants responded (294 DCPs, 77%; 87 dentists, 23%). Facebook, WhatsApp, and LinkedIn were the dominant platforms. A 37-percentage-point digital confidence gap existed between professionals under 30 (85% confident) and those over 60 (48%; χ²(3) = 28.45, p <0.001), with a 3.5:1 consumption-to-creation ratio indicating predominantly passive engagement. While 84% considered sources reliable, only 78% recognised the need for cross-checking. Three qualitative themes emerged: professional identity validation and learning recognition; community support and accessible learning; and reflective practice enhancement and critical awareness.Conclusions Social media constitutes a substantive informal learning ecosystem within UK dental professional practice, operating alongside the General Dental Council's formal CPD framework but largely outside its recognition and quality assurance processes, while equity implications of the digital divide remain unmitigated. Successful integration of informal and formal learning pathways requires coordinated action from regulators, educational institutions, and professional associations to ensure all practitioners, regardless of age or digital confidence, engage with these networks safely, critically, and effectively.