The global reach of social media in oral and maxillofacial surgery

PURPOSE: Social media use among oral and maxillofacial surgeons (OMSs) has grown in recent years, serving as an important resource for the dissemination of medical/surgical knowledge, research, education, diplomacy, and advocacy. However, no studies have attempted to characterize the global reach of social media in OMS.

METHODS: This study examined the profile activity, content performance, and demographic characteristics of followers from a single OMS-related Instagram account. Variables assessed include the total number of followers since the account's inception, profile views over the selected time period, and unique media content posts, as well as likes, comments, saves, impressions, and reach for all media content posts. The top 45 countries, cities, and languages based on each follower's geolocation and user settings were also included.

RESULTS: There were 9569 followers of which 6208 (64.9%) were listed as public accounts. Of the 6208 followers with public accounts, 2496 (40.2%) were female. The countries with the most followers included the United States (31.7%), India (12.5%), Malaysia (5.3%), Mexico (4.0%), and Pakistan (3.6%). The cities with the most followers included New York, New York (8.9%), Boston, Massachusetts (5.2%), Cairo, Egypt (4.3%), Santiago, Chile (3.7%), and Karachi, Pakistan (3.5%).

CONCLUSION: OMS-related social media is uniquely positioned to facilitate global collaboration and augment the dissemination of surgical knowledge and expertise. This information is critical in understanding the distribution and demographics of the OMS workforce, trainees, and affiliates around the world.