Orthodontic practice marketing: The orthodontist and laypeople’s perspective

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to comparatively evaluate the perceptions of laypeople and orthodontists regarding the usefulness of orthodontic practice websites (OPWs) and Internet-based social media (ISM) and to assess whether the content, features, and design of these online information sources meet the expectations of laypeople compared to orthodontists. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional, nationwide study was conducted using a pretested and validated electronic questionnaire administered separately to specialist orthodontists and laypeople. A total of 136 orthodontists and 1038 laypeople voluntarily participated. The willingness of specialists to adopt a modern approach to promoting OPWs is explored, and the essential information that should be included in ISM is identified. RESULTS: Most orthodontists (52.9%) and laypeople (88.2%) preferred face-to-face communication over online content searching. Both groups consistently identified “contact details” and “types of treatment” as crucial information to be presented on OPWs. Facebook and Instagram were the most popular platforms among both orthodontists and laypeople. CONCLUSIONS: Both specialist orthodontists and laypeople should increasingly utilize OPWs due to their comprehensive benefits.