Original Research Article

French dentists' communication quality on clinical oral dermatology cases in Facebook groups: a cross-sectional study

Univ. Lille, CHU Lille, Odontologie, 59000 Lille, France

^* Correspondence: maxime.bedez@univ-lille.fr

Received: 12 August 2024
Accepted: 6 November 2024

Abstract

Objectives: This study evaluates the communication quality of French dentists when sharing oral dermatology cases on Facebook. Material and methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted over six months, examining cases shared in both general dentistry and specialized oral dermatology groups. A custom scoring grid assessed the cases for relevancy and misinformation, focusing on general presentation, dermatological criteria, and diagnostic hypotheses. Results: A total of 242 cases were analyzed. The study found that the average number of missing communication criteria was 6.21 ± 2.01 points, indicating significant variation in the quality of case presentations. The specialized oral dermatology group demonstrated higher-quality communication, with an average of 5.80 ± 1.84 missing points, compared to 7.00 ± 2.09 in the general dentistry group. Conclusions: These results suggest that specialized social media groups offer enhanced opportunities for professional learning and more detailed case presentations. However, the study also highlights the challenges of ensuring quality and consistency in online case sharing. It emphasizes the need for standardized guidelines to improve the educational potential of social media platforms for professional development in oral dermatology. Improved practices and guidelines could help maximize the benefits of these platforms for dentists and other health professionals.