Influence of social media on the choice of orthodontist and different types of orthodontic treatment.

Objectives: To evaluate, from the perspective of patients, the influence of social media (SM) on the choice of orthodontist and the acceptance of orthodontic treatment (OT) proposed by a professional. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire that contained 17 items distributed across four sections. Individuals older than 18 years, who were treated or sought OT, and who had SM accounts were included. Data were collected via Google Forms using the snowball technique and subsequently analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U-test. Effect size (ES) was calculated (small, moderate, or large). Results: Of the 206 participants, 148 were women (71.8%), and 58 were men (28.2%), with a mean age of 37.3 ± 15.0 years. The most used SM applications were WhatsApp (95.1%), Instagram (92.2%), YouTube (56.8%), and Facebook (30.1%). Women respondents 36 years old or younger who were single and had no higher education showed a significant difference in choosing a professional and accepting OT on all questionnaire items (P < 0.001). Among SM platforms, Instagram was the one used most often to choose a professional and OT modality as well as considered important for revealing the professional's academic training. By contrast, WhatsApp was the least used for before-and-after posts, while YouTube was seldom used to evaluate posted comments. For variables with significant differences, the ES ranged from moderate to large. Conclusions: SM, especially Instagram, can influence decision-making when choosing an orthodontist and accepting the recommendations for OT proposed by a professional.