Abstract
Objective
This study investigated the relationship between social media usage patterns, social media attitudes, and online health information seeking/trust behaviors (HINTS) and oral health awareness and behaviors (OHBQ) among dental students.Method
Data was collected from 390 students studying at dental faculties through face-to-face surveys. Daily social media time and platform preference were recorded; Social Media Attitude Scale, OHBQ, and HINTS-based scale scores were calculated.Results
The average age of the participants was 21.64±1.95 years, and 63.3% were female. Daily usage was most concentrated in the 1-3-hour (40.8%) and 3-5-hour (42.6%) ranges; the most frequently used platform was Instagram (69.2%). 90.3% of the participants reported being exposed to content related to teeth whitening, 23.6% tried the product/method they saw, and 57.4% reported an increased need for aesthetic/whitening after exposure. The most engaging content was on smile design/aesthetics (57.4%), dentist recommendations (35.1%), and teeth whitening products (33.1%). OHBQ was positively correlated with HINTS (ρ=0.345, p2=0.234): HINTS (B=0.277) and social media attitude (B=-0.131) positively predicted the OHBQ; male gender (B=-0.262) and daily usage time (B=-0.039) negatively predicted it (pConclusion
Online health information search/verification behaviors and positive social media attitudes appear to be associated with better oral health behaviors among dental students. It is recommended that digital health literacy and content verification skills be integrated into undergraduate education. This is important for clinical training.