MAKING A SOCIAL IMPACT ALUMNI, STUDENTS, AND FACULTY ARE USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO EDUCATE, CONNECT, AND INSPIRE

PENN DENTAL MEDICINE ALUMNA DR. HELEN MO (D’16), a pediatric dentist in San Francisco, had built a robust Instagram audience of about 22,000 by July 2020 when it caught the eye of a “Good Morning America” producer, leading to an invitation to share expert advice on helping parents navigate the challenges of baby teeth.

With the exposure from that appearance and subsequent media interviews, her Instagram account, @the.dentistmom, quickly reached a following of 100,000 within its first year and has since grown to 256,000 followers, who find wide-ranging information on children’s oral care as well as relatable posts about being a working mom of two young children.

“I started my Instagram page as a way to use my knowledge as a pediatric dentist to educate and empower other new moms like me,” says Mo. “The experience has far exceeded my expectations. I never expected things to have grown in the ways they have.”

Indeed, the growth and reach of social media is undeniable. According to the latest data from the Pew Research Center, in 2021, 72% of U.S. adults reported using at least one social media platform, up from

50% a decade earlier. While YouTube and Facebook are reported to be the most popular platforms (with 81% and 69% usage among U.S. adults, respectively), Instagram garners 40%, LinkedIn 28%, Twitter 23%, and TikTok 21% (though 48% of those aged 18-29 use the latter platform). For many people, social media is part of their daily routines, with Pew reporting that seven-in-ten Facebook users and around six-in-ten Instagram users visit these sites at least once a day.

In this era of digital connectivity, we asked a number of Penn Dental Medicine alumni, students, and faculty to share how they are using social media, offering a snapshot of amplifying everything from oral healthcare information and life in dental school to research findings and health equity issues.

OPPOSITE, L TO R, TOP TO BOTTOM: @the.dentistmom @opera.dental @drbrigittewhite

@dr_erin

@dentin_w_kevin

@determined-dentalstudent

ABOVE: @profmarkusblatz

Building A Robust Following

Mo launched her Instagram account in November of 2019 when her daughter Olivia, now four, was starting to get baby teeth. Even as a pediatric dentist, she and her husband Dr. Allan Wang (D’15, also a Penn Dental Medicine alumnus), struggled to brush their own squirming baby’s teeth, and she decided to take to Instagram to help other parents get the job done and build awareness of the importance of oral health from a very early age.

“Brushing was not easy for us and it hit me that so many other moms must be struggling too,” says Mo. “So I started my page and named it @the.dentistmom to show both the “dentist” and “mom” perspectives of oral health.”

In that first year, she posted regularly and amplified her messages — and built an audience—in large part by connecting with the accounts of other professionals in the parenting arena, such as pediatricians, general dentists, sleep consultants, and nutrition experts. “Just like building relationships in real life, building relationships on Instagram takes connection,” says Mo, who works part-time at two pediatric dental practices in the Bay Area and is a volunteer Assistant Clinical Professor at University of California San Francisco (UCSF) School of Dentistry, where she created a clinic for children with autism and other neuro-developmental disorders.

Since starting her Instagram account, Mo has learned a lot about using the platform effectively. “You need to have relatable, useful content and you have to be on there a lot,” she says. “The more time you’re on, the more people will discover you and share with others.”

Followers of @the.dentistmom find a depth of practical, graphically engaging content on everything from tooth eruption and baby tooth trauma to pacifier weaning and a host of brushing tips and tutorials, many featuring video and photo demonstrations with her daughter Olivia. All presented with the personal tone of a mother and the professional guidance of a clinician. The brushing

@the.dentistmom tutorials are some of the most popular posts — one demonstrating how to brush the different quadrants of her toddler’s teeth got more than 309,000 views.

“The first step is to create content you’re passionate about, rather than worrying about the follower count,” says Mo, when asked about tips for building a following. “Stay true to yourself and show who you are beyond your content. There is a niche for everyone, and it can be really rewarding to become part of a community.”

Mo’s Instagram account also caught the attention of the White House Office of Public Engagement, for which she then served as a healthcare advocate to share social media messages on important healthcare issues, such as resources for families during the infant formula shortage last year. And she is currently working with USA Today on an upcoming oral health initiative.

From Dental Advice To Advocacy

Some other Penn Dental Medicine alumni say their social media messaging has evolved recently to address more general wellness and health equity issues in addition to oral health information.

Dr. Erin Issac (D’11), who opened Winning Smiles Pediatric Dental Care in Pittsburgh in 2015, uses both Facebook and Instagram to share dental tips for parents as well as advice for other pediatric dentists establishing boutique practices. “There’s so much misinformation, especially in pediatric dentistry, and this is a platform to get accurate information out there,” she says. “It’s also a way for people to see there is a person behind the dentist, especially for pediatric dentists it helps parents get to know you.”

On her office Facebook page, @winningsmilespgh (with 1,300 followers), Issac focuses on dental information and hosts a monthly “Live with Dr. Erin” series on a variety of topics, including recent talks on tongue and lip ties and foods that promote dental health. The presentations, which can range from about 15 to 30 minutes, are posted on the site after airing live, and upcoming topics are promoted beforehand so viewers can send in questions in advance.

However, her social media approach has broadened over time to reflect her personal priorities as well as her diverse audience, which includes parents, friends, family, dentists, other healthcare providers, dental companies, dental students, and postdoctoral residents (she teaches at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine).

She tends to use her Instagram account, @dr_erin, to communicate more personally to her 6,500 followers, and some of her most popular posts are inspirational, wellnessrelated, or advocating for issues important to her, including workplace equity for women and diversity in the dental profession.

Similarly, Dr. Brigitte White (D’07), who opened her practice BrightWhites Dental in Alexandria, Va. in 2017, started out using a number of social platforms when she first ventured into social media, educating viewers on oral health topics and products as well as her practice. Over time her approach to social media has evolved. Currently, White primarily uses Instagram, @drbrigittewhite (with 6,500 followers), as her bully pulpit to promote not just oral health, but also personal growth, lifestyle, and social justice issues, such as meeting the needs of marginalized groups, addressing healthcare inequities, and advocating for a more diverse dental workforce. In May 2022, she also began conversations on Instagram Live — 10- to 20-minute talks with a guest on topics related to living a balanced and abundant life.

“Social media is an important tool to address disparities in healthcare,” says White, who returned to Penn Dental Medicine as a part-time faculty member during 2021, working one day a week as a clinical instructor of restorative dentistry as a way to support racial diversity on the clinical faculty. “Penn Dental prioritizes cultural competence and I really value that inclusion,” she says.

“Many parents, especially women of color, reach out to me, saying ‘my daughter wants to be an orthodontist, what do you recommend, how do I apply to dental school,’” adds White. “I’m so glad I can use my voice as a healthcare provider and as a Black woman in America to encourage, promote, and recruit more Black dentists.”

Penn Dental Medicine Social Media Channels

Follow Penn Dental Medicine across social platforms to stay up-to-date on School programs, news, and activities.

@PennDentalMed (10,745 followers)

@PennDentalMed (6,494 followers)

@PennDentalMed (3,746 followers)

Penn-Dental-Medicine (2,606 followers)

Numbers as of 4/10/2023

Promoting A Nontraditional Path To Dental Medicine

Second-year student Kendra Domotor (D’25, MBE’25) is using her social media presence to promote the pursuit of a dental education as well, focusing much of her content on inspiring and supporting prospective students along with her peers.

Domotor took an unusual path to Penn Dental Medicine and uses Instagram (@opera.dental) to share her journey with nearly 8,200 followers. In college, she majored in opera performance (see a video on her account of her singing “Infelice” by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy) and started her post-undergraduate life as a fitness instructor.

As Domotor considered a career in dentistry, the path was daunting. She had to complete a post-baccalaureate program to take math and science prerequisites even before applying to dental school. Once in the post-bacc program at Harvard University, it took her four years, instead of the usual two, because she ended up needing additional math courses.

“I wanted to share that I was a nontraditional student with a unique path to dental school,” says Domotor, who started her Instagram account after she got her acceptance to Penn Dental Medicine, the first post showing her beaming in a Penn sweatshirt and holding a Typodont teeth model she bought on Amazon.

Her posts continue to document her journey as a dental student and inform and encourage others considering the same path. Followers find posts that range from advice for first-year students and those thinking about dental school to updates on her classes and community service and extracurricular activities. Domotor, a National Health Service Corps scholar who is also pursuing a Master’s in Bioethics dual degree, is particularly interested in encouraging others who are on a nontraditional route to dentistry.

“I wanted others to know that if I could go from opera to dentistry, they could do it from other backgrounds too,” she says.

@opera.dental

As a savvy digital native, Domotor has grown her audience and influence in part by connecting and sharing posts with other relevant sites, such as @studentsofdentistry and Penn Dental Medicine’s Instagram account @penndentalmed. She also uses hashtags frequently so people exploring specific topics might see her account. “The rule of thumb is that once you pass 10,000 followers, it’s easier to grow,” adds Domotor.

A Window Into Dental Programs

Alexandra Schroeder (D’25, MPH’25), also in her second year at Penn Dental Medicine, says student social media accounts were a valuable resource when she was researching dental programs.

“Hearing about other people’s experiences through social media gave me the best perspective on what the culture of a school was, the workload and different opportunities,” says Schroeder, who is also pursuing a Master’s of Public Health dual degree. “I’m taking a less-known path pursuing a dual degree, and I wanted to share that with others.”

She now uses Instagram (@determineddentalstudent, with nearly 1,500 followers) and TikTok (@determineddentalstudent, with more than 3,600 followers) to share her own day-in the-life-of-a-dental-student moments and her dental school experiences, from becoming a National Health Service Corps Scholar and conducting public health research to getting involved in leadership roles with the American Student Dental Association.

In February, for instance, in conjunction with national children’s dental health month, Schroeder created videos for both Instagram and TikTok on sugary drinks and tooth decay with her TikTok post going viral, getting 2.5 million views and garnering more than 79,000 likes and 2,000 comments.

On the lighter side, Schroeder loves when a classmate tells her, “My mom saw your post and started following you because she had no idea what I do all day.” And, indeed, she says laughing, “quite a few moms are following me.”

While Schroeder notes that keeping actively engaged with social media involves a time commitment, she expects to keep it up throughout her career as a public health dentist. “It can be a valuable tool on a variety of levels,” she says. “It provides a platform to not only inform and connect with patients, but also to engage in political advocacy for important issues like student loan reform and expanding health benefits.”

Countering Misinformation

For Dr. Markus Blatz, Professor and Chair of Preventive and Restorative Sciences and Assistant Dean for Digital Innovation and Professional Development at Penn Dental Medicine, the motivator for him to embrace social media was simple: to provide sound, research-based, clinically relevant, educational content that would help counter the flow of misinformation he was seeing.

He recalls that when he first started using Instagram, he saw a post from a dentist “that was so fundamentally wrong” and yet had 3,000 likes. “How,” he wondered, “could there be 3,000 dentists who thought this was true?”

Blatz established his Instagram account (@profmarkusblatz) in 2019, but he only began creating content in earnest and posting regularly during the early, lockdown days of the Covid-19 pandemic, when he and many others spent more of their time online. Now, just three years later, his following has grown to 115,000, with 90% from outside the U.S. and 54% under 35 years old.

In 2021, his account was recognized as the Most Educational Instagram Account for Comprehensive Restorative Dentistry by Course Karma, a web resource for continuing dental education courses.

Blatz has refined his posts (usually 5–10 images) to be strong visually with concise yet informative text, highlighting key points with additional information and published study references in the caption. Topics cover the full gamut of restorative dentistry often with a series of posts on a particular issue in response to questions posed by followers. One post citing a study that found the use of rubberdams helped increase enamel bond strength got more than 12,550 likes and 300-plus comments and prompted seven additional follow-up posts.

A self-taught social media influencer, Blatz says he has “carved out a niche, which I don’t think any other dental-related account is doing at this level.”

The rapid growth of Blatz’s audience shows demand is high for the type of evidence-based information he provides. Many of his followers are dentists, researchers, and other healthcare professionals, who interact with his posts by asking questions or adding their own experiences.

With his robust following, his account also helps to amplify Penn Dental Medicine research and programs, including continuing education. When his department launched a weekly online restorative lecture series, his Instagram account was the key means of promoting it. “We had 400 to 500 people from all over the world every single week,” he says.

“As educators at Penn, we should be a guiding light in the profession,” says Blatz.

“My goal is to help make dental care better for the benefit of our patients, and I’m floored by how much impact we can have through this medium.”

A Conscious Commitment

While cultivating larger audiences increases the potential for beneficial impact, it also brings added responsibility, stresses Mo.

“Social media is a place with a lot of contrasting opinions, and you have to be conscientious about what you’re posting,” she says, noting for instance, that viewers have different parenting styles and cultural customs. “You need to consider that the information you’re posting will have an internet footprint and try to ensure it is a positive one.” n