For better or for worse.

Compiled by Carin Brent

Dipl OH (US) EF (UWC)

3 Ethical CEU’s

For better or for worse, social media has changed the way we think and do

forever. There are very few individuals that cannot be found on any social

media platforms. It is an amazing tool to use to keep in touch with friends,

colleagues, trends, world news and gossip. Social media (SM) is much more

than Facebook, WhatsApp, LinkedIn , Twitter and Instagram. Let’s have a look

at how to optimise the use of social media.

The influence of social media networks is

inescapable, but how much do you actually know

about these globally popular websites?

Here are some interesting facts about Social media [3]

18% of Facebook users can’t go more than a few hours without

checking Facebook.

28% of iPhone users need a Twitter fix before they get out of bed

in the morning.

85% of people rely on Twitter and Facebook for their morning news

Each day:

1.23 billion users log into Facebook for an average of 17 minutes

That’s the equivalent of 39,757 years every day

What Is Social Media?

The HPCSA uses the following definition:

• Social media describes the online tools and electronic platforms that

people use to share content such as opinions, information, photos, videos and

audio.

• Social media includes social networks (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp

and LinkedIn), content-sharing platforms (e.g. YouTube and Instagram),

personal and professional blogs (including email, SMS, electronic journals as well

as those published anonymously), internet discussion forums, and the comment

sections of websites.[4]

There is ample advice available on how to use social media to our professional

advantage. In May 2019 Matthew Hodson wrote on his blog The balance small

business:[1]

The ability to share photos, opinions, events, etc in real-time has transformed

the way we live and, also, the way we do business. Retailers who use social

media as an integral part of their marketing strategy usually see measurable

results. But the key to successful social media is to not treat it as an extra

appendage but to treat it with the same care, respect, and attention you do all

of your marketing efforts.

Social Media Marketing Is Fleeting

In the early days of social marketing, there was little competition for the dollar—

not so today. For example, you can spend thousands of dollars on a Facebook ad

campaign and, sometimes, get no return on your investment. By its very nature,

social media is a short attention span media—it is much harder to get someone's

attention with a Tweet then it was to get someone's attention with a newspaper

ad. That's because ad headlines and copy are harder to write on Twitter or

Instagram. [1]

You Must Be Active on Social Media

One of the biggest mistakes retailers make is to open up accounts on every

social media platform they think is relevant and then leave them alone with no

activity. Having an account with any of the social media platforms does not

mean your business is into social media any more than owning golf clubs makes

you ready for the PGA. In fact, social media users are turned off by the retailer

who opens accounts and does not engage with clients and the public and

consequently become labelled a pretender. The reality is, it is better to not have

a social media icon on your website if you are not going to actively engage with

it—and actively means on a daily basis. [1]

Don't Make It All About You

The other big mistake retailers make is to use social media to talk about what is

important to them rather than talking about what is important to the customer.

As a retailer, you may think it is great to shout that you have a sale going on;

and in some regards, this would be true. But, if that's the only reason you are

getting involved in social media it won't be beneficial. Your goal should be to

provide content that is relevant to your customer and engage with them to the

point that they want to share your post with others. If you use social media you

need to engage with your customers, involve them in a dialogue, and ask them

for their opinions. Post a picture of two items you are considering carrying in

your store and ask customers which one they like best. This creates a dialogue

which leads to shared posts which leads to engaged followers. Plus, if you follow

this example, it will also lead to enhanced margins because your back and forth

conversation will prevent you from buying the item that won't sell as well.[1]

Images Are Key

Another thing to consider is that the most commonly-shared content on social

media is an image. So, always include an image with your posts. This will

dramatically increase your chances that one of your followers will share the post

with their network. While building up a large network of followers is great,

ultimately what you want is to have your followers—no matter how many you

have—share what you're posting with their network, and those people will share

your post with their followers, and so on. This is the new form of "word of

mouth" and it's what people mean when they say a post went "viral."[1]

This is all good advice and it is advice that is as applicable to dentistry as it is to

retail, but it may also be potentially a legal and ethical minefield. Recently the

HPCSA released these Social Media guidelines for professionals.

The HPCSA’s Social Media Guidelines advise the following:

DEFINITION OF SOCIAL MEDIA[4]

The use of social medial is expanding rapidly as individuals and organisations are embracing user-generated content through social networks, internet forums and personal blogs.

Irrespective of whether online content is accessible to the public at large or is limited to specific health practitioners, there is a need to maintain high professional and ethical standards in using social media.

Health professionals need to be aware that there are potential risks involved in the sharing of information via social media, even if the consequences are unintended.

CONTEXT IN RELATION TO HPCSA

o A key objective of the HPCSA and its Professional Boards is to guide the profession and protect the public.

o Health practitioners may find social media beneficial as it allows them to keep updated on the latest healthcare developments through reputable user-generated content, build a professional support network as well as communicate and share health-related information with the public and other health practitioners.

o These guidelines must be read in conjunction with the other HPCSA Ethical Guidelines Booklets and other applicable publications.

OBLIGATIONS IN RELATION TO SOCIAL MEDIA

Just as with all aspects of professional behaviour, health practitioners should be aware of their obligations under the HPCSA Ethical and Professional Rules, the Professional Board‟s scope of practice and other relevant legislation, such as the Promotion of Access to justice Act 3 of 2000, the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013, and the common law.

There are ethical obligations and responsibilities imposed on health practitioners regarding their relationships with their patients and each other, such as those set out in Booklet 1 General Ethical Guidelines for Health Care Professionals and Booklet 5 Confidentiality: Protecting and Providing Information.

Obligations relating to the electronic storage and transmission of patient and client data for professional purposes are found in Booklet 10 General Ethical Guidelines for Good Practice in Telemedicine.

PATIENT CONFIDENTIALITY AND PRIVACY

All patients are entitled to privacy and confidentiality, which is enshrined under the human right to privacy in the South African Constitution and the National Health Act.

Disclosure of a patient‟s information may only be in accordance with a court order, patients consent and in terms of the law.

Health practitioners can share confidential information with other members of the

health care team involved in the patient‟s care and with individuals who have the patient‟s consent.

Health practitioners can also share information if it is justified in the public interest, or if failure to do so will result in harm to the patient.

Health practitioners must obtain the written consent of the patient before publishing information (e.g. case histories and photographs) about them in media to which the public has access, whether or not the health care practitioner believes the patient can be identified by the data.

If the patient is a minor under the age of 12 years old, the health care practitioner will require the written consent of the patient‟s parent or guardian and assent of the minor.

Health practitioners sharing information or data for the sake of diagnosis, treatment or education and training through social media must ensure that the recipient of the information is not able to identify the patient from the data disclosed.

Health practitioners must ensure that the recipient of patient information via social media understands that such information is given to them in confidence, which they must respect.

Disclosure of information on social media must be kept to the minimum necessary in order to protect the rights of patients.

Health practitioners must be aware that there is always a risk that the information can be disseminated, even in so-called “invisible” groups, (i.e.people you do not know are reading the information or who you did not know could read the information).

The obligation to keep patient information confidential remains even after the patient dies.

THE PRACTITIONER�PATIENT RELATIONSHIP

Interaction between health practitioners and their patients on social media can

blur the boundaries of the professional practitioner-patient relationship. Health practitioners are advised not to interact with patients via social media

platforms as a failure to maintain strictly professional relationships with patients could result in other ethical dilemmas.

The Protection of Personal Information Act outlaws the acquisition of data about an individual‟s health or sex life outside the healthcare setting, and by having access to patients‟ social media profiles, health care practitioners may find themselves privy to personal patient information that has not been shared in the healthcare setting.

Health practitioners may choose to share personal information about themselves with their patients during face-to-face consultations, but social media does not offer a similar level of control over the extent and type of content shared.

If the health practitioner performs a non-medical role in their community, maintaining appropriate professional boundaries may be difficult as they may receive requests on social media from patient‟s they know in a nonprofessional capacity. In these instances, health practitioners should consider the circumstances and implications before accepting these requests.

Should the health practitioner receive an inappropriate message from a patient via social media, they should politely re-establish professional boundaries and explain their reasons for doing so.

Except in an emergency or life-threatening situation, if a patient is seeking health care advice over social media, the health care practitioner should politely request them to set up an appointment in-person.

If a patient persists in contacting the health practitioner, the practitioner should keep a log of all contacts and seek advice from the HPCSA.

Providing health advice over social media to individuals with whom the health practitioner does not have a practitioner-patient relationship is discouraged and should be done with the outmost discretion.

If health advice is shared online, it must be evidence based , scientifically sound and generic and the recipient must be directed to consult with a health practitioner in person before following through.

Health practitioners should separate their professional and personal social media accounts to help maintain the appropriate professional boundaries.

THE HEALTH PROFESSION’S IMAGE

If the health care practitioner uses social media in their personal capacity, their online activity may nevertheless bring the profession into disrepute.

The media routinely monitor online activity to research stories or potential stories. Information posted online may be disseminated, whether intended or not, to a larger audience, and may be taken out of context.

Content posted on social media may also harm the health practitioner‟s employability and recruitment, limiting professional development and advancement. Employers often monitor the social media profiles of prospective employees, and are known to turn away applicants based on questionable digital behaviour.

Social media activities health practitioners should avoid for example include:

Taking photographs during surgery and other forms of care or treatment;

Making unsubstantiated negative comments about individuals or organisations;

Making informal and derogatory comments about patients;

Making comments that can be perceived as racist, sexist, homophobic or otherwise prejudiced, even if meant in jest or as satire.

Health practitioners may engage fully in debates on health matters, however they must be aware that the laws regarding defamation, hate speech and copyright also extend to content shared via social media.

Health practitioners must not post their opinions on the probity, skill or professional reputation of their colleagues on social media, lest the public lose faith in the health care profession.

Online relationships between practitioners of varying levels of training should only be initiated upon consideration of the purpose of the relationship. In the case of senior staff receiving social media requests from students (or vice versa), the purpose might be mentorship, research or career advice. Regardless of intent, the traditional boundaries of the trainee-teacher relationship apply even in interactions via social media. These boundaries also extend to staff and other health practitioners.

If a colleague makes derogatory or inappropriate comments on social media, health practitioners are advised to bring it to their attention discreetly, and not to engage or respond publicly on the social media platform.

Health practitioners are advised to include disclaimers in their social media

profiles, indicating that the views expressed therein are their own and not those of the health profession or the health establishment they represent. However, this does not absolve the health care practitioner from the above rules.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

Social media is also a popular tool for the advertisement and promotion of goods and services, with the growing online market being one of the most emphasised in business practice.

When using social media, even if via personal or anonymous blogs, health care practitioners must comply with the HPCSA rules on advertising practice,(including not engaging in active or passive touting and canvassing or allowing others to do so on their behalf), and must make sure that they declaring their financial interests in hospitals (see Booklet 2 Ethical and Professional Rules of the Health Professions Counc il of South Africa and Booklet 11 Guidelines on Overservicing, Perverse Incentives and RelatedMatters). l

Touting involves drawing attention to one‟s professional goods or services by offering guarantees or benefits that fall outside one‟s scope of practice. An example is advertising free WiFi services to patients while waiting for their consultations.

Canvassing involves the promotion of one‟s professional goods and services by drawing attention to one‟s personal qualities, superior knowledge, quality of service, professional guarantees, or best practice. An example of canvassing is a health care practitioner declaring on social media or posting patient reviews that state he or she is „the best health care practitioner in the country‟.

Health practitioners may not advertise, endorse or encourage the use of any hospital, medicine or health-related product on social media in a manner that unfairly promotes the practice of a particular health practitioner or establishment for the purposes of financial gain or other valuable consideration.

A failure to follow these guidelines when using social media will undermine public trust in the health profession.

PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES WHEN USING SOCIAL MEDIA

Health practitioners must be aware that, even with a pseudonym, anonymity on social media platforms is never guaranteed. The identity and location of the user can be traced through their linked accounts or IP address.

If health practitioners use social media in their personal capacity, they are advised to adjust their privacy settings to restrict public access. However, even with advanced security measures and end-to-end encryption, complete privacy on social media cannot be guaranteed. There is always the risk that the content can be shared beyond the scope of the health practitioner‟s personal network.

Once content is shared online, it is difficult to remove, and health practitioners must use social media on the understanding that the information they post will remain on the internet permanently.

Even if a health practitioner deletes a post on a social media site, this does not necessarily mean the content has been removed. Content may be copied or reproduced by other users before it has been deleted, and many websites and internet browsers use cache and cookie systems that inconspicuously store data.

Health practitioners should avoid using social media when stressed, tired,upset or under the influence of alcohol.

Health practitioners are advised to err on the side of caution when using social media. If uncertain about whether it is ethically and legally permissible to share particular content via social media, it is best not to do so until advice has been obtained.

[3]

By 2021 the dental industry in America is projected to be worth around $36.8

billion. That’s a lot of teeth for the tooth fairy. But if your practice wants a piece

of the profit, it’s incredibly important to start a social media marketing plan for

dentists and your specific industry.[2]

Although this article refers to dentists, it applies to the whole industry.

For decades, dentists relied almost exclusively on reputation and word of mouth

marketing to help them build their practice. But it’s more likely than not, your

audience is on social. Whether it’s blogging, video marketing, paid social ads or

even podcasts, you have to learn the specifics of social media marketing for

dentists.[2]

Just like any other industry, there are ways to better attract, retain and

ultimately market to your patients. And for the sake of this article, we’re looking

at the dentists needing the extra push for social marketing efforts.

Why Does Social Media Marketing Matter For Dentists?

Social media marketing for dentists is still in the early roots of adoption, but

more dental practices are seeing the power of being active on Twitter, Facebook

and Instagram. For an industry that leaves 15% of the population quivering with

dread, what better way to earn a loyal patient than to consistently show them

there’s nothing to fear?

Dentists are in a bit of different position than many other industries. Clothing

stores, software companies, restaurants and other industries have to convince

people that what they’re selling is worth their money—even if it’s something

they don’t need. Dentists on the other hand don’t need to convince people they

need to get their teeth and gums checked. Everyone knows they need to visit

the dentist.

The challenges most dentists face are simply getting people to remember to

schedule their appointments, and helping them overcome the fear and anxiety

associated with dental visits.

Ultimately, it comes down to building trust and earning a patient’s confidence.

Social media marketing is the ultimate way to build relationships with your

audience. For a dentist that means convincing your patients that you can deliver

a pain-free experience.

Use social media to help patients feel more comfortable before they even visit

your office. Showcase your authority, track record and industry experience by

letting clients know they’re in safe hands. Remove some of the stigma around

going to the dentist through fun and light hearted social content. By giving your

practice an interesting personality, you ensure that people look forward to

seeing you. Again, it’s all about trust.

Remember that you’re not just selling toothpaste and root canals–you’re selling

comfort, good health, confidence, trust and above all a good experience. Social

media gives you the platform you need to connect with your patients. Remind

them that you’re all about people, not just teeth.

The Benefits of Social Media for Dentists

For any practice in both big and small cities, advertising is a bread and butter

tactic to gain new customers. However, how much of this time and effort are you

spending on social media? If you need more convincing, Facebook ad revenue is

expected to outpace print ads by 2019.

The more digitally focused the world becomes, the larger amount companies

from the healthcare industry realize that Facebook, Twitter and Instagram aren’t

just channels for sharing cat pictures. They’re a place where businesses discover

new clients, interact with prospects and build a better brand name. Here are just

some of the ways social media benefits dentists:

1. Better Establish Relationships

Many people consider going to the dentist to be a nerve-wracking experience. In

fact some people are so scared that they avoid going to their appointments. It’s

no wonder that marketing toward this experience is well, like pulling teeth.

Fortunately, social media provides you the chance to create relationships with

your audience through customer testimonials, client experiences, friendly office

images and most importantly, the results of your work. For instance, when it

comes to relationship building, responding to a question through social media

about dental care demonstrates your effort of care and knowledge. You want to

show you’re there to help. Tweets, Facebook shares and liking patients’

Instagram posts shows support on a friendlier level.

2. Attract New Clients

People take their healthcare decisions very seriously–and a lot of folks turn to

Google for help. More than half of people use search engines to find a dentist.

However, another survey discovered 15% of people said their No. 1 reason for

not booking a dentist appointment was due to trouble finding an office.

When we invest in a dentist we’re not just buying a one-off product. Instead,

we’re committing to a consistent relationship with someone we feel we can trust

to keep us looking and feeling our best. When your patients start looking for a

new dentist, they’re going to do their research and you need to be there.

In fact, 75% of people admitted they purchased a product or service because

they saw it on social media. If you’re active on social, the things that you post

help answer the questions customers have about your practice, making you into

a more credible option for your prospects.

3. Showcase Your Leadership

Finally, the viral nature of social media means it’s easy to spread information

about your practice far and wide. By writing articles, posting videos and sharing

information that demonstrates your expertise, you can begin to show off thought

leadership. For example, Imperial Dental uses social media to build trust through

showcasing experience and professionalism by sharing industry content.

It’s hard to trust brands, but when you have the proof to back up your claims, it

makes all the difference. That’s why becoming a leader within the dental

industry and showcasing it on social media not only attracts new patients, it also

gets the attention of peers in your field.

Best Social Media Platforms for Dentist

Now that we’ve covered the importance of social, it’s time to take the next step

and figure out where you’re going to launch your campaign. There are several

platforms out there and each one has the power to attract new patients.

However, some social channels naturally work better for dentists than others.

Let’s go over the big networks to see what works best for you.

Remember–it’s always best to work slowly through your network adoption rather

than try to increase marketing on all your channels at the exact same time.

[4]

Facebook

Facebook attracts billions of visitors every day, which makes this platform one of the broadest

networks for dentists. However, through Facebook advertising, you have the chance to dive deep

into customer personas and audience types.

Facebook is an intimate social platform used by friends and family members, so it’s important to

learn about and work with the Facebook algorithm accordingly. Use Facebook to build deep and

trusting relationships with your audience by trying a few of these options:

Sharing photos of your team and office, as well as any happy clients

Linking to blog posts and news articles relevant to your area

Providing updates about your practice and asking customers for input

Running promotions and contests

Showing off a patient or team member of the months

Running Facebook Live Q&A sessions

Providing dental tips and answering customer questions

YouTube

Because dentists often rely on the visual impact of their work to attract patients, channels with a

focus on imagery and video are often an obvious choice. YouTube is a great way for dentists to

expand the trust-building content they share on social media with:

Office tours

Q&A sessions or team interviews

Patient testimonials

Demonstrations

Dental tips

Educational and entertaining information in video form will help to build trust with your

target audience. Companies with videos get 41% more web traffic than their non-video using

counterparts.

Twitter

Twitter is another fantastic channel for dentists on social media. Like Facebook, it appeals to a broad

collection of customers. The difference is that the messages you share will be more compact and

refined. Twitter is about engaging with clients quickly and it also helps you to attract attention using

branded hashtags. Ways to use Twitter for your dental ads include:

Using hashtags related to your industry to draw attention like #TeethWhitening

Sharing relevant content from industry peers

Live-tweeting from dental conferences

Responding to questions and concerns about dental care

Handling customer service questions

Instagram

When you’ve finished giving your patients a photo-ready smile, where do you think they show it off

first? Instagram is the ultimate way to demonstrate the confidence-boosting visual side of your

practice, particularly if you focus on cosmetic dentistry. Remember, don’t overuse filters here. The

aim should be to appear as professional and authentic as possible. Some things dentists on

Instagram might take advantage of include:

Behind the scenes photos

Reposting pictures patients take in your office

Showing before and after images (with patient permission)

Promoting events

Running competitions for #BestSmile or something similar

Branded hashtags

Social Media Secrets for Dentists: Best Practices

Once you’ve decided where to campaign, it’s time to finalize your social strategy.

We’ll say it again, but the key to a truly incredible marketing campaign will

always be understanding your audience.

Start by considering your USP (unique selling point), what you can offer to your

customers and the kinds of clients you want to attract. Building user personas

will help you figure out not just where you should launch your social media

campaign, but what kind of content you should share.

Once you know your audience, don’t forget these last tips to increase awareness

and solidify your campaign:

1. Make the Most of Employee Advocacy

Since social media marketing is all about building close relationships with your

patients, it makes sense to tap into the impact of the people they interact with

most–your staff. Your team members live in the same communities as your

prospective patients, they love your practice and know how to reach out to your

followers.[2]

But What Is Employee Advocacy? [5]

At its core, employee advocacy is the promotion of an organization by its staff

members. An employee advocate is someone who:

Generates positive exposure and raises awareness for a brand through digital media or offline channels

Recommends a company’s products or services to a friend or family

member Represents the best interests of the company both internally and

externally

Can help build employee ownership of the organization

Is an expert on your product or service and can be a credible

spokesperson for your company[6]

Types of Employee Advocacy

There are several ways for employees to advocate for your brand.

Here are some common types of employee advocacy you can use to turn your

team into your biggest supporters:

Social Media Employee Advocacy

Social media completely changed the way brands utilize employee advocacy.

While some of the older tactics like incentivizing and giving away swag(branded

clothing or merchandise) still work, the reality is brands need to incorporate

social into the equation.

Your customers spend a lot of their free time on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

and other social networks, so it’s the prime place to get in front of them.

Capturing that attention can be more difficult for brands than individuals. So getting your employees to share articles from your blog, pictures around the

office or other types of content can significantly improve your reach.

Incentives & Recognition

People crave recognition. Taking the time to recognize employees who perform

well can also be extremely beneficial for business.

A recent study found that 72% of businesses said recognition given for high

performers within a workplace had a significant impact on employee

engagement.

This can be done easily by starting an ―employee of the month‖ program or

listing top employees in a monthly newsletter column. Time can be set aside in

team meetings to recognize certain employees for their hard work or accomplishments. Public commendation of employees is great way to recognize

hard work, and a surefire method to create employee advocates.

Swag

Giving employees free shirts, keychains or other usable items provides people

with a way to show off your brand without too much effort on their end. Any

time employees wear a t-shirt or uses a water bottle, they are advocating on

behalf of your brand.[5]

Using employee advocacy tools like Bambu helps your employees curate and

post content on their own personal social channels. This lets you reach a wider

audience and gives your practice that human touch your patients crave.[4]

2. Be Personal, Not Clinical

Remember, your aim is to convince clients you provide a professional and

comfortable experience. With that in mind, try not to be too clinical with your

posts. A great way to add a personal touch to your campaigns is to show

dramatic before and after photos that highlight your patients’ stories. Just

remember to keep the HIPAA guidelines in mind. Ideally, your patient will share

photos for you and you simply retweet or regram them.

Also, the odd joke or meme can go a long way to showing your customers that

you’re more than just a teeth-cleaning robot too.

3. Share Engaging & Valuable Content

When people come to dentists, they’re looking for everything they need to enjoy

a great smile. This means they want products and services to help with their oral

hygiene, but they also want to learn what they can do to keep disease at bay

and protect their teeth. When posting on social media, show your authority by

giving valuable tips on dental hygiene.

If people find your posts helpful, they’ll be more likely to share them with friends

and family. The end result is more engagement for your dental practice.

An important stat to know is 49% of people say they share content because they

believe it’s informative and valuable to others. Content gives you a chance to

show off your industry authority too.

4. Engage With Your Audience

Again, one of the most important things to remember about social media is it’s

all about connecting with your audience. You don’t just want to post information

for your potential patients, you want to elicit a response by creating content that

gets people to click, comment or share.

One great way to encourage engagement from your audience is to ask a

question. People love an opportunity to give their opinion on important topics.

Ask questions that pertain to your patients’ oral health habits and encourage

them to get involved with a compelling call to action.

5. Make the Most of Live Video

Live video is one of the most exciting trends on social media right now. This tool

is one of the best ways to engage your audience and expand your credibility as a

dentist. Video options like Instagram Stories and Facebook Live allow you to go

beyond standard dentist ads and have genuine conversations with your

audience.

6. Generate Reviews & Referrals

Online reviews are another great marketing tool that can pack a serious punch

for dentists. Around 90% of consumers are influenced to buy products or

services purely by reading reviews online. The more testimonials you get from

happy patients, the better new prospects will feel with their decision to choose

your practice.

If you’re having trouble generating reviews to begin with, you can always

improve your chances of earning a testimonial with office visits and dental

hygiene product discounts or other items for people who offer feedback.

Using Social Media Marketing for Dentists

Just like any marketing strategy, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to be

successful in the social media world as a dentist. However, if you can recognize

the importance of building a relationship with your audience through social

channels, you can begin to create a brand that’s more credible, trustworthy and

appealing for today’s patients.

Prove to your audience that they can trust you, and you’ll look forward to an

army of happy patients who no longer dread going to the dentist.

But Social media also has a dark side...

Social media addiction has been linked to depression, bullying, low self-esteem

and social isolation to name but a few. Even more concerning is the gathering of

our information without our knowledge.

The Facebook–Cambridge Analytica data scandal was a major political scandal in

early 2018 when it was revealed that Cambridge Analytica had harvested the

personal data of millions of peoples' Facebook profiles without their consent and

used it for political advertising purposes.[7] (South Africa was not excluded)

Facebook contends that its technology worked exactly how Facebook built it to

work, but that bad actors, like Cambridge Analytica, violated the company's

terms of service. [7]

Then in 2019, Facebook got slapped with a massive $5 billion fine by the

Federal Trade Commission. The fine is a record for the FTC — perhaps a

precedent for the kind of punishment that tech giants could expect for

mishandling users' data — and is a direct response to the Cambridge Analytica

scandal. Read the full article: https://www.businessinsider.co.za/cambridge-

analytica-a-guide-to-the-trump-linked-data-firm-that-harvested-50-million-

facebook-profiles-2018-3?r=US&IR=T

If you have access to Netflix, it is worth watching The Great Hack.

https://www.ted.com/talks/finn_myrstad_how_tech_companies_deceive_you_in

to_giving_up_your_data_and_privacy

It highlights the need of being mindful of our rights and of what we share in both

a personal and professional capacity. It appears that confidentiality can never

be guaranteed.

Additional reading:

1. Promotion of Access to justice Act 3 of 2000:

http://www.justice.gov.za/legislation/acts/2000-003.pdf

2. Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013:

http://www.justice.gov.za/inforeg/docs/InfoRegSA-POPIA-act2013-004.pdf

3. PoPI Act explained:

https://www.workpool.co/featured/popi

4. Ethical rules of conduct:

http://www.sapc.org.za/sapc/wp-

content/uploads/2018/01/ethical_rules_of_conduct_2011.pdf

5. Health Professions Act:

https://www.hpcsa.co.za/Uploads/Legal/legislation/health_professions_ct_56_1974.pdf

6. Ethical Guidelines HPCSA:

https://isystems.hpcsa.co.za/Conduct/Ethics

7. Ethical guidelines for Good practice in Telemedicine:

https://isystems.hpcsa.co.za/Uploads/editor/UserFiles/downloads/conduct_ethics/Booklet

%2010.pdf

Question time:

You need 70% to qualify for the CPD points and have 3 chances of achieving it.

1. Choose the correct statement:

a. Social media describes tools and electronic platforms that people use to

share content such as opinions, information, photos, videos and audio.

b. Social media describes the online tools and electronic platforms that

people use to share content such as opinions, information, photos, videos

and audio.

c. None of the above

2. The mandate of the HPCSA is:

a. to guide the profession and protect the public

b. to guide the public and protect the profession

c. none of the above.

3. WhatsApp does not form part of social media.

a. True

b. False

4. Health practitioners can share confidential information with:

a. other members of health care team involved in the treatment.

b. Other individuals with the patient’s consent

c. All of the above

5. Health practitioners can also share information if:

a. it is justified in the public interest

b. if failure to do so will result in harm to the public.

c. All of the above

6. To share information of an unidentified minor

a. the child must agree to it.

b. The parent/ guardian or carer must give written consent

c. All of the above

7. Choose the correct statement:

a. It is the responsibility of the practitioner that shares information via

social media to ensure that it stays confidential and is treated with

respect.

b. Information stays confidential even after the death of a patient.

c. All of the above

8. Mrs Jones places the following post on Dr Smith’s Facebook page:

―Doctor the tooth you worked on yesterday is no better. I spend an hour

in your chair. It has cost me R1000 and I am still in pain. Your

qualification is not worth the paper it is printed on.‖

Choose Dr Smith’s best reply.

a. ‖Mrs Jones I am sorry to hear you are still in pain. Please use the

prescription we gave you and contact us in 48 hours if you are still

suffering‖

b. ―Mrs Jones I am sorry to hear you are still in pain. My receptionist will

contact you shortly to schedule an appointment as soon as possible.‖

c. Mrs Jones as I explained yesterday, post-operative pain is common in

root canal treatment- hence the antibiotic prescription. If the pain is

unbearable, please call my after-hours number‖

9. Canvassing is:

a. the promotion of one’s professional goods and services by drawing

attention to one’s personal qualities, superior knowledge, quality of

service, professional guarantees, or best practice.

b. to advertise the offering of special services on social media

c. Using the best marketing phrases to attract patients.

d. A and C

10. An oral hygienist post the following remark on a social media page:

―I am sick and tired of orthodontists who do not remove all the cement

during debandings and expect us to do their work for them. Anyone else

having this problem and if so, what do you do?‖

Choose the best response:

a. ―I have the same problem. Specialists think they are so superior.‖

b. ―I show the patient where the cement is and point out that it was left

there by the orthodontist.‖

c. ―It is perhaps best to refer the patient back to the orthodontist and

share your concern in the reference letter. Hope it solves your

problem‖

11. Choose the incorrect statement:

A practitioner shall at all times

a. act in the best interests of his or her profession;

b. respect patient confidentiality, privacy, choices and dignity;

c. maintain the highest standards of personal conduct and integrity;

d. None of the above

12. Which of the following information is not allowed on the practice

Facebook page?

a. speciality or subspeciality or field of professional practice (if any);

b. registered qualifications or other academic qualifications or honorary degrees

in abbreviated form;

c. free transport offered for patient convenience

d. addresses

13. #bestdentistintown is a great #for promotions

a. True

b. False

14. According to the HPCSA guidelines, which of the following posts are not

encouraged on social media:

a. Behind the scenes photos

b. Reposting pictures patients take in your office

c. Showing before and after images (with patient permission)

d. Promoting events

e. Running advertisements for #BestSmile or something similar

15. Irresponsible use of social media in your personal capacity can bring the

profession in disrepute.

a. True

b. False

Reference:

1. https://www.thebalancesmb.com/what-is-social-media-2890301

2. https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-marketing-for-dentists/

3. https://bloggingwizard.com/social-media-statistics-facts-trends/

4. https://www.hpcsa-blogs.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/HPCSA-Booklet-16-Ethical-

Guidelines-on-Social-

Media.pdf?utm_source=HPCSA+eBulletin&utm_campaign=5ea711fcdb-

The+HPCSA+eBulletin+Newsletter_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f2379b87e

7-5ea711fcdb-56426701

5. https://sproutsocial.com/insights/facebook-algorithm/

6. https://getbambu.com/blog/what-is-employee-advocacy/#

7. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambridge_Analytica

8. https://www.businessinsider.co.za/cambridge-analytica-a-guide-to-the-trump-linked-data-

firm-that-harvested-50-million-facebook-profiles-2018-3?r=US&IR=T

All articles were last accessed 18/12/2019