Online dental misinformation influencing young people

Fraser Macdonald, Dental Tribune International

Fri. 13 June 2025

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CHICAGO, US: A new report commissioned by the American Association of Endodontists (AAE) has confirmed rising concerns about the influence of online misinformation, especially from social media, upon decision-making by younger generations regarding dental care. As the study reveals, the kinds of sensationalist and factually distorted videos that saturate social media platforms precipitate both fear and falsity in the minds of young people, which may lead them to defer or even reject necessary dental treatment.

The study has found that nearly half of both Gen Z (48%) and millennial (46%) respondents reported apprehension about undertaking a root canal treatment, compared with only 38% of the overall sample. While it is perhaps unsurprising for people to view a trip to the dentist with a degree of trepidation, a key finding is that, for many, the fear of root canals derives from what they have seen online. In this respect, 40% of Gen Z respondents and 36% of millennials reported experiencing difficulty distinguishing between online dental health content that was scientifically reliable and which was without any factual basis.

Speaking in an AAE press release, Dr Steven J. Katz, president of the association, stated: “We are concerned that fear and misinformation is contributing to younger adults avoiding the dental chair, as nearly half of both Gen Z and millennial adults surveyed admitted to only going to the dentist when experiencing pain in their mouth.”

The new AAE report dovetails with results from the recently published 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer special report on trust and health, which revealed similarly alarming figures concerning young people’s increasing reliance on non-specialist advice when making decisions regarding their health. According to that report, 45% of people aged 18–34 reported that decisions about their health are strongly influenced by uncertified individuals, whether online influencers, content creators or friends. Perhaps more worrying, however, is that more than half of this age group (58%) had, in fact, made a health decision based on misinformation from social media that they regretted.

While these reports highlight the rising influence of non-specialist sources upon young people’s decision-making regarding their oral health, a recent Brazilian study has illuminated that misleading information may also come from within the profession itself. The study states: “Online oral health misinformation retrieved by Google Search was predominantly produced or disseminated by dental professionals and was mainly motivated by financial interests. Frequently, misinformation was linked to the diffusion of alternative and natural treatments.”

The Brazilian research thus reveals that, while non-specialist social media content may exert a strong influence upon how young people make decisions regarding their dental care, internet searches may also bring them into contact with misinformation created by dental professionals themselves. What all of these studies agree upon, however, is that urgent and substantial measures are required to combat and redress this crisis.