Assessment of the quality, reliability, and readability of the websites about orthognathic surgery

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the accuracy, dependability, and readability of websites providing information about orthognathic surgery. Material and Methods: A total of 300 websites encountered through Google, Yahoo, and Bing search engines using the search terms “orthognathic surgery” and “jaw surgery” were utilized. Websites containing duplicate advertisements, original articles, or course content with video links unrelated to the topic were excluded from the study. Ninety-three websites were included in the study. The included websites were assessed for reliability and quality using the DISCERN, Ensuring Quality Information for Patients (EQIP), and Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) tools. Readability was evaluated by determining the Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES) and Flesch–Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL) scores. The data that did not show normal distribution were analyzed using the Kruskal–Wallis test. Post hoc comparisons were conducted using the least significant difference and Mann– Whitney U-tests. A significance level of P < 0.05 was accepted. Results: The mean DISCERN score was (38.47 ± 10.47), the EQIP score was (57.34 ± 10.73), and the JAMA score was (0.81 ± 0.99). The FRES was determined to be (43.89 ± 11.36), and the FKGL score was (12.06 ± 2.3). In the layperson group, the highest scores were found in the DISCERN (44.62 ± 9.73) and JAMA (1.85 ± 0.8) analyses compared to other groups. Conclusion: Website content on orthognathic surgery is generally of poor quality, and moderate reliability, with readability often being challenging for the average reader. There is a need for more user-friendly websites that offer comprehensive and easily digestible information to better serve orthognathic surgery patients.