Social media has changed the way people are able to see the world. It’s a platform to expose ideas, promote businesses and give us a glimpse into people’s lives. It has even connected our dental student cultures, changing the way we view other schools and altering the way we communicate.
The spread of dental knowledge and ideas is now unstoppable. Dentists and dental students alike can easily share tips, techniques, events and ideas online. Having trouble getting the perfect contact on your class II composite? Need inspiration for a good theme for the upcoming ASDA social? Turning to Instagram is a fun and unique option for answers.
One of my favorite Instagram accounts is @bitewingDMD. It was made by my classmate and shows all aspects of getting through dental school. Users can follow his growth and evolvement through the dental school process. He has found Instagram to be extremely beneficial at enhancing his dental school experience. Because of social media, he’s been contacted by dentists from all over the world, some of whom are interested in mentoring him and anxious to see his success after school.
“The people I have interacted with encourage you to continue, that NBDE Part II is easier than Part I, to double the matrix band interproximally before dropping a box to prevent nicking teeth. The benefits from simply having a professional appearance on social media are amazing,” he explained.
If you aren’t convinced, @bitwingdmd also scored a free set of Dental Decks as a thank you for sharing information about their product earlier this year. This was all started with a goal to create an online presence and brand that was initially based around entertainment with no hidden agenda.
Dental schools and student organizations are tapping into Instagram’s success, too. Even national ASDA can be found at @dentalstudents. Groups are getting creative and using clever hashtags to create camaraderie. Many ASDA chapters and districts have hashtags that with one click lands you on a page with all of the pictures posted from anyone connected to that event. Anyone that attended last year’s ASDA Annual Session knows that #asdaawesome was a hit, and the classic #asdafever seems to be here to stay as well.
If you take a moment next time you are scrolling your newsfeed to search #dentalschool or, my personal favorite, #dentalschoolproblems, you will be taken to thousands of posts pertaining to all of our everyday struggles. These posts feature anything from lab procedures, all-nighters, NBDE flashcards, clinic triumphs, #ASDAfever socials, research projects and more.
What do you think about this hashtag connection between dental students? Do you happen to have a favorite dental Instagram you follow?
~Brantley McCarty, LECOM ’17
