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Description

Introduction Social media now shapes how people find information, connect and form identity. It increasingly influences cultural standards around  health and appearance. In orthodontics, these platforms are reshaping public perceptions, attitudes and treatment decisions. This review synthesizes existing research on social media’s impact on how people view and choose orthodontic care.

Methods A PRISMA guided review searched PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science for  peer-reviewed English-language studies published between 2015 and 2025. Using terms such as “social media,” “orthodontic treatment,” “dental esthetics,” “perception,” we included studies assessing how social media shapes public beliefs, behaviors, and  self-perception related to orthodontic care.

Results From over 450 records, 10 studies met criteria. Social media use was widespread (~60%), led by Facebook and Instagram (>50%), with Snapchat (29.7%) and TikTok (27.2%) rising. For 50–75% of patients, reviews, visibility, and before-and-after images shaped provider choice, and 60–80% of orthodontists agreed social media strongly drives decisions. Popularity often outweighed proximity (60.5%), though family and friend recommendations still mattered.

Conclusions Social media now plays a substantial role in influencing public perceptions of orthodontic care and dental esthetics. The findings highlight the importance for orthodontic professionals to understand and strategically engage with social media as a tool for patient education and communication. More research is needed to assess the long-term effects of social media–driven esthetic ideals on oral health decisions and to support ethical, patient-centered orthodontic practice.

Disciplines

Orthodontics and Orthodontology | Other Dentistry | Science and Technology Studies

Document Type

Poster

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The Effect of Social Media on Orthodontics: The Patient and Practitioner Perspective

Introduction Social media now shapes how people find information, connect and form identity. It increasingly influences cultural standards around  health and appearance. In orthodontics, these platforms are reshaping public perceptions, attitudes and treatment decisions. This review synthesizes existing research on social media’s impact on how people view and choose orthodontic care.

Methods A PRISMA guided review searched PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science for  peer-reviewed English-language studies published between 2015 and 2025. Using terms such as “social media,” “orthodontic treatment,” “dental esthetics,” “perception,” we included studies assessing how social media shapes public beliefs, behaviors, and  self-perception related to orthodontic care.

Results From over 450 records, 10 studies met criteria. Social media use was widespread (~60%), led by Facebook and Instagram (>50%), with Snapchat (29.7%) and TikTok (27.2%) rising. For 50–75% of patients, reviews, visibility, and before-and-after images shaped provider choice, and 60–80% of orthodontists agreed social media strongly drives decisions. Popularity often outweighed proximity (60.5%), though family and friend recommendations still mattered.

Conclusions Social media now plays a substantial role in influencing public perceptions of orthodontic care and dental esthetics. The findings highlight the importance for orthodontic professionals to understand and strategically engage with social media as a tool for patient education and communication. More research is needed to assess the long-term effects of social media–driven esthetic ideals on oral health decisions and to support ethical, patient-centered orthodontic practice.