Abstract
Objectives: This study aims to identify risk factors for using digital and social media (DSM) as perceived by dental students and dental professionals.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey study conducted during the summer of 2020 among dental students (undergraduate and postgraduate) and dental professionals at the Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London in the UK. Data were collected using a questionnaire developed using semi-structured interviews, experts' evaluation and previous research on perceived risks of internet services and social media context.
Risk factors were identified using the Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) method, and the internal consistency of the extracted factors on using DSM determined by Cronbach's α coefficient reliability test. The overall agreement mean scores for the extracted risk factors were calculated to indicate higher agreement ratings for each risk factor.
Results: A total of (N=301) dental students and dental professionals returned the questionnaires. The EFA show that participants perceived eight risk factors: four factors associated with their professional use with satisfactory Cronbach's α = 0.833 and four factors related to their general use with adequate Cronbach's α = 0.804. The professional risk factor with the highest agreement was the public deception and the professional reputation damage factor. With regards to the general risk factors, the wasting time factor obtained the highest agreement ratings.
Conclusions: This study developed a valid and reliable scale to measure the perceived risk associated with using DSM. Also, it highlighted that dental students and professionals require more education and training to avoid public deception and professional reputation damage and manage their time while using DSM.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey study conducted during the summer of 2020 among dental students (undergraduate and postgraduate) and dental professionals at the Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London in the UK. Data were collected using a questionnaire developed using semi-structured interviews, experts' evaluation and previous research on perceived risks of internet services and social media context.
Risk factors were identified using the Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) method, and the internal consistency of the extracted factors on using DSM determined by Cronbach's α coefficient reliability test. The overall agreement mean scores for the extracted risk factors were calculated to indicate higher agreement ratings for each risk factor.
Results: A total of (N=301) dental students and dental professionals returned the questionnaires. The EFA show that participants perceived eight risk factors: four factors associated with their professional use with satisfactory Cronbach's α = 0.833 and four factors related to their general use with adequate Cronbach's α = 0.804. The professional risk factor with the highest agreement was the public deception and the professional reputation damage factor. With regards to the general risk factors, the wasting time factor obtained the highest agreement ratings.
Conclusions: This study developed a valid and reliable scale to measure the perceived risk associated with using DSM. Also, it highlighted that dental students and professionals require more education and training to avoid public deception and professional reputation damage and manage their time while using DSM.
| Original language | English |
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| Title of host publication | IADR |
| Place of Publication | Virtual |
| Publication status | Published - 2021 |