Social Media has developed a great amount throughout the years and has become a powerful tool for many industries. With platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and Twitter it’s now easier than ever to share not only your day to day life, but also your work.
Many dentists choose to connect with patients and others within the industry through the use of social media, so we talked to two of our associates to explain how they have used it to build up their networks.
What’s your main use of social media and your favourite thing about it?
Before lockdown I mainly focussed on using my account to connect with other dentists, but during lockdown it became an incredibly useful platform to provide informative videos to patients on how to manager their dental emergencies when they couldn’t physically access our practices.
The quality of others work that’s posted online is really inspiring and motivating. It gives me the drive to find courses to improve my skill set and network and communicate with other dentists so that I can achieve great results!
Do you think the use of social media could change the way dentists work?
Yes, I do. Instagram and other social media platforms such as Tik Tok have proven to be an invaluable tool during these unprecedented times. It’s a fantastic way to communicate effectively with colleagues and patients and can really create a sense of community. I think these platforms are also a really great way to give patients an idea of their clinician’s character, which is very useful for managing dental anxiety.
What words would you give to encourage others to use social media and follow a career in dentistry?
Don’t be scared of using social media to put yourself and your work out there. The online community is extremely supportive and kind. It can give you the confidence boost you need to excel in this industry.
In terms of following a career in dentistry my favourite thing about my job is the moment when my team and I have finished re-contouring a patient’s smile, the nurse hands the patient a mirror and we see that first big grin on their face. The gratitude and change in their confidence is what makes me continuously fall in love with my job.
What’s your main use of social media and your favourite thing about it?
Myself, I take the view of educating and engaging with patients both existing and potential, remembering that a dental practice is part of a local community. My posts tend to rotate on a basis of clinical case, education about a treatment type, and a family/local area post.
I also engage with local business such as restaurants, independent shops, all with the aim of becoming an active part of the community and also showing that I am a real person behind the dental mask and PPE. It’s also a great way to engage with patients directly, through direct messages so they have a point of contact with you out of surgery times, in an informal yet still professional way.
Do you think the use of social media could change the way dentists work?
From a clinical point of view, social media is also a great way to develop your own skills. Some of the dentistry that people put up on social media is very inspirational and these cases can really help to push and encourage you to further yourself.
Dentistry is a forever changing career, and constantly keeps you on your toes. The new advances in digital dentistry are making it a great time to be a dentist and I’m very excited for the future.
What words would you give to encourage others to use social media?
When looking at starting social, it’s important to think of who your target is. Are you looking at connecting with your own patients, attracting new patients, showing your work off to other dentists, creating a referral network, or networking? Each of these will change how you design and make your presence known.
