Social media as a learning tool for the budding periodontist: A questionnaire survey

Abstract

Introduction: Social media is a web-based platform which has gained popularity amongst students for learning and enhancing their skills. Students are adapting to e-learning methods to enhance their clinical skills. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of social media as an educational/learning tool amongst post graduates in periodontology. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted amongst post graduates pursuing periodontology in India. A validated questionnaire was used to explore the benefit of social media for enhancing the theoretical knowledge as well as the clinical skill of post graduates. Descriptive statistics, Kruskal–Wallis and paired and unpaired t-tests were performed for statistical analysis. Results: The survey included 485 students from the 1st to 3rd year of postgraduates. YouTube was the most used social media platform (87.6%), followed by Instagram (55.0%), Facebook (43.0%) and others. Social media was used for gaining theoretical knowledge (97.3%), pre-clinical guidance (77.4%) and for periodontal surgical skills (52.5%). Similar opinions and recommendations were also analysed. Conclusion: The present findings suggest that students report social media can be a valuable learning tool in postgraduate education if used as an adjunct. A proper understanding of social media resources can benefit both the theoretical and clinical knowledge of the postgraduates.