155 - Parental Engagement with Social Media Regarding Their Child’s Healthcare Needs

Abstract:

Purpose: To assess parental engagement with online resources regarding their child’s healthcare needs.

Methods: Parents completed a 24-question survey at the child’s dental visit. Parents had to be fluent in English, and there were no restrictions based on age or medical history of the child.

Results: Seventy-five surveys were completed. Parents searched for information online in regard to: parenting (49%), healthcare (56%), community events (51%), and developmental questions/milestones (37%). When inquiring about the value of oral healthcare information both in person and online, parents most valued professional/expert opinions (67%), followed by family opinions (24%). Parents reported accessing information by seeing a professional (56%), Google (46%), word of mouth (44%), and parenting groups (23%). When their child was sick, they sought information from visiting the doctor (82%), Google (47%) and word of mouth (24%). When their child was injured, they sought information from seeing a doctor (90%) and Google (33%). Parents most often asked: how often should my child see the dentist (64%), how often should my child get a cleaning (49%), is fluoride safe (37%) and how often should my child receive fluoride treatment (35%).

Conclusion: The majority of parents sought information mostly from professional/expert resources, followed by internet platforms. The most common question regarding their child’s oral health care was how often their child should see the dentist. As information becomes more accessible, it is critical to understand where parents access information regarding their child’s healthcare so providers can communicate what is best for their patients and families.

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