Oral Health Policy Change Through Social Media in the State of Florida

Objective: Oral health communication has rapidly changed over the last decade.It has evolved from public service announcements to a more sophisticated approach which includes oral health activities that integrate technology, telecommunications, social interaction, and the construction of words, pictures, videos and audio.The importance of social media to the contemporary practice of dental public health is a vital connection between the community and the work of promoting prevention, education and policy.

Methods: Building oral health programs are based on the perception of the populations need.If perception does not match the true need, sustainability is difficult to maintain without modification.Social media can do well in expanding the message of need in order to motivate policy change.Florida is spreading the oral health message that invokes potential changes for fields such as public dental health and oral health preventive care delivery.

Results: Oral health social media in Florida created a broad community of residents that understand oral health needs due to a large fan base and membership through Oral Health Florida on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and the Florida Oral Health website.The collage of these people working collaboratively continues to help form positive opinions on issues regarding oral health disparities. This unity developed through social media affords communities to share best practices while improving public perception for the need for oral health care change.

Conclusions: Social media is engaging reasons and causes of oral health care policy by sharing data and best practices to improve individual oral health and overall health outcomes throughout the state.