A cross-sectional study to determine impact of social media influencing patient choices in aesthetic dentistry

The effect of social media exposure on adult patient choices in aesthetic dentistry in Saudi Arabia is of interest. An online structured and validated questionnaire was applied to 335 individuals and it was found that social media use, peer impact and visual content had a significant role in the choice of dental clinic. Although 72.8% of the participants involved preferred social media as their primary channel of information, trust was derived more from personal or family experience when compared to celebrity testimonies. However, statistical analysis did not find the relation between the social media-affected choices and sex and age. The results highlight the importance of digital interaction in aesthetic dental preferences in today's society.