The dos and don’ts of social media

Social media has profoundly impacted the very fabric of our society. The majority of us are using social media in some shape or form, and in turn we are leaving a digital footprint in the virtual world. It is imperative to use social media both safely and responsibly, however the onus increases as registered dental professionals.

It is a well-known fact that all dental care professionals must behave professionally both online and offline. This article will briefly summarise the dos and don’ts of the personal use of social media.

General Dental Council guidelines

The GDC’s Standards for the Dental Team (4.2.3) states, “You must not post any information or comments about patients on social networking or blogging sites. If you use professional social media to discuss anonymised cases for the purpose of discussing best practice you must be careful that the patient or patients cannot be identified.”