Dental Communication and Social Media: Legal and Ethical Framework

NCT07550153 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 123
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 300
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This observational study explores the legal and ethical boundaries of dental communication on social media, analyzing Italian regulatory evolution. Through surveys involving dental professionals and patients, it assesses awareness of advertising regulations and the impact of digital communication on the patient-practitioner relationship. The research identifies knowledge gaps regarding deceptive advertising and highlights the need for transparent, deontologically compliant digital practices to protect public health.

Conditions

Health Communication; Professional Ethics; Social Media

Keywords

Healthcare Communication; Professional Ethics; Medical Jurisprudence; Social Media in Health; Health Advertising Regulations

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Level of legal and ethical awareness regarding healthcare advertising

  Assessment of participants' awareness of Italian regulations and ethical principles related to healthcare advertising through a structured questionnaire developed for this study, including both knowledge-based and self-assessment items. The questionnaire will consist of: * objective items (multiple-choice questions assessing factual knowledge) * subjective items (self-reported level of information and awareness) A composite awareness score will be calculated by assigning scores on a Likert scale (e.g., 1-5) for self-assessment items

  At the time of survey completion (baseline)

Study Arms (3)

Group 1: Dental Professionals

Dentists and Dental Hygienists practicing in Italy, surveyed to assess their knowledge of advertising regulations and digital ethics.

Other: Survey using a questionnaire.

Group 2: Patients

Individuals who consume healthcare information via social media, surveyed to evaluate their perception of dental advertising and its impact on their choices.

Other: Survey using a questionnaire.

Group 3: General Healthcare Professionals

A broad group of healthcare practitioners surveyed to analyze the general application of deontological codes in digital communication.

Other: Survey using a questionnaire.

Interventions

Survey using a questionnaire. OTHER

Participants complete an anonymous online questionnaire (Google Forms) consisting of multiple-choice and Likert-scale questions regarding healthcare communication laws, ethics, and social media usage.

Group 1: Dental Professionals; Group 2: Patients; Group 3: General Healthcare Professionals

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The study population consists of three distinct cohorts based in Italy: * Dental healthcare providers, including licensed dentists and dental hygienists, recruited through professional networks and social media groups to ensure a broad representation of clinical experience. * A diverse group of Italian-speaking patients and social media users who interact with healthcare-related digital content. * General healthcare professionals from various medical disciplines. The sample includes adults (18+) of all genders, representing a cross-section of both information providers (practitioners) and information consumers (patients) within the digital healthcare ecosystem.

You may qualify if:

• For Group 1 (Dental Professionals): Registered Dentists or Dental Hygienists currently practicing in Italy.
• For Group 2 (Patients): Individuals who use social media platforms and have accessed or are interested in dental healthcare information online.
• For Group 3 (General Healthcare Professionals): Medical doctors and health practitioners from various specialties interested in digital communication ethics.
• Age: Minimum 18 years of age.
• Consent: Participants must be willing to provide informed consent for data collection and analysis.
• Language: Ability to understand and read Italian.

You may not qualify if:

• Individuals under 18 years of age.
• Individuals who do not use social media platforms.
• Incomplete survey submissions where the primary data points are missing.
• Healthcare professionals not registered with their respective Italian professional orders.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Roma La Sapienza: lead

Study Sites (1)

Sapienza università di Roma

Roma, RM, 00161, Italy

RECRUITING

Related Publications (1)

• Ruiz, M., Kabani, F., & Cotter, J. (2022). A review of the effects of oral health media hype on clients' perception of treatment. Canadian Journal of Dental Hygiene, 56(1), 31-38.

  BACKGROUND

Central Study Contacts

Fabrizio Guerra

CONTACT

3283150627; fabrizio.guerra@uniroma1.it

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: OTHER
• Time Perspective: CROSS SECTIONAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate professor, MD, pHd

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 17, 2026
• First Posted: April 24, 2026
• Study Start: January 1, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): October 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): January 1, 2027
• Last Updated: April 29, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

IT (1)