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While dentists are health professionals interested in improving the oral health and hygiene of their patient population, they are still salesmen selling a service. And everyone knows the huge tool for online sales is the use of social media networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook. But do these applications really help dental professionals attract and retain new patients? Aren't there certain things to be aware of or careful about when communicating with current and prospective patients online? This article will attempt to outline a few of the pros and cons of using social networking media to reach a healthcare population. The very phrase “social media” implies interaction between friends and family with like-minded interests. Facebook targets users based on certain demographics such as age, sex, education level, geographic location, and a myriad of options that the users can enter about themselves. By dividing their millions of users in this way, advertisers are able to target a specific population. For example, dentists in California can choose to display their advertisements to married men and women over the age of 35 only in the San Francisco area. This sort of advertising that is highly targeted to a particular population helps ensure that your message is reaching the right people and, in turn, pays off with bigger dividends in the end. Twitter is a very different tool than Facebook and is used in a different way. Twitter is a set of small updates that are less than 140 characters in length and can be public or private. You can also send individual messages to users directly. This sort of tool is useful for dentists looking to update an existing patient population that is “following” them with timely news such as holiday hours or new services. While your Facebook page can be public and easily viewed by anyone looking for information in your area, Twitter updates are usually only viewed by patients “following” you or who actively seek out your Twitter account. As easy as it is to influence a potential patient population in a positive way, it is also very easy to rub them the wrong way with a few clicks of the keyboard. Online etiquette is vitally important for dental and health professionals to follow while interacting with people online. Many of the rules that apply in real-life conversations carry over to the online world. It is obviously impolite to interrupt conversations or address people that you haven’t been properly introduced to. The same conventions should apply to dentists looking to communicate with actual and potential patients online. In the lawsuit-oriented nation of America, it is also vitally important to avoid giving anything that may appear to be medical advice via online tools. This can easily backfire and the online record will be used against you in a court of law. In conclusion, there are a few obvious benefits for dentists that would like to use online social media tools to promote their business and get new patients. However, there are also things such as social etiquette and avoidance of legal issues that should be considered. If you live in San Francisco, dentists in the area can make your visit as pain-free as possible. To find a dentist in your area in particular, please visit http://www.angieslist.com/
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