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The Importance Of Social Media & An Online Presence For Dental Offices

The Importance Of Social Media & An Online Presence For Dental Offices
by Kaitlyn Machado, RDH

Having a presence on social media and an updated website is now more important than ever, including in dentistry. Many patients, especially younger generations, prefer getting their information online through Google searches and social media platforms. Many patients even prefer to confirm their dental appointments by text or email.

Facebook launched over a decade ago, with its original goal being to connect students to their peers at Harvard University. It’s safe to say Facebook went far beyond Harvard University. Facebook was one of the first social media platforms that changed how we communicated and opened the door to a new technology era. Where everyone has their personal profiles to share information, shouldn’t dental offices have a presence on Facebook too?

It is important to understand the differences between a personal profile versus a page. A personal Facebook profile is just that, a personal representation of an individual. According to Facebook rules, a person can have only one profile. Otherwise, Facebook can delete profiles. It is also against Facebook rules and terms of service to use a Facebook profile for a business. In summary, a dental office should have a “page,” not a “profile.” Further, if you have a “personal” profile and a “professional” profile, the professional profile should be converted to a “page.”

So what material should you put on a website compared to a social media account like Facebook or Instagram? There should be some differences.

Read full article on Today's RDH.