Orthodontic retention and retainers: Quality of information provided by dental professionals on YouTube

Abstract

The evaluation of the quality of information (QOI) contained within oral health-related videos on the video-streaming Web site YouTube has been limited. This study aimed to determine the QOI regarding orthodontic retention and retainers contained within videos uploaded by dental professionals (DPs) to YouTube. YouTube was systematically searched using 4 terms. The top 50 videos per search term by "number of times viewed" were stored in a specially created account. Following the application of inclusion/exclusion criteria, the videos were assessed for viewing characteristics, and a 4-point scoring system (0-3) was applied to evaluate QOI in 10 predetermined domains. Descriptive statistical analyses, intrarater, and interrater reliability tests were performed. Strong intrarater and interrater reliability scores were observed. Sixty-two videos from the top 50 most-viewed DPs were viewed a total of 1,367,810 times (range 77- 529,543). Most DPs originated from the United States (68%), and orthodontists (88%) uploaded most videos. The mean number (standard deviation [SD]) of reported domains was 5.5 out of 10 (SD, 2.2). The mean overall QOI score per domain was 1.14 out of 3 (SD, 0.64). The "importance of retention" domain scored highest (2.18; SD, 1.2). "The need for retention reviews" domain scored the lowest (0.3; SD, 0.65). The mean overall QOI score per DP was 11.72 out of 30.00 (SD, 5.85). The QOI related to orthodontic retention and retainers contained within videos provided by DPs through the YouTube Web site is deficient, particularly the need for retainer review. Orthodontists should be aware of the importance of YouTube as an information resource and ensure that videos related to orthodontic retention and retainers contain relevant, high-quality, and evidence-based information.