In preparation for the Chicago Dental Society (CDS) 2012 Midwinter Meeting, which will draw more than 30,000 dental professionals to Chicago this February 23-25, CDS members were asked about current trends, dental care tips, and more.
More than 100 of the society's member dentists responded to the fall 2011 survey.
Here are some of the survey findings:
More dentists are connecting via social media. Nearly 89% of dentists surveyed say they have a personal Facebook account, which is up from a 60% response from last year's survey. Twitter use is also on the rise, with more than 16% of dentists on the social networking site, up from only an 8% response last year.
Social media for dental offices picks up steam. More than 67% of dentists surveyed say that their practice has a Facebook page, which is up from a 17% response last year. Nearly 24% say their practice uses Twitter, up from 6%, and 14% are using YouTube, up from 4%.
What can't a castaway dentist do without? If stranded on a deserted island, more than half of the dentists surveyed chose an unlimited supply of toothbrushes over toothpaste, floss, or mouthwash.
Julia Roberts' winning smile is three times a charm. For the third consecutive time, the Hollywood actress had the most requested celebrity smile among women patients, according to dentists surveyed. George Clooney and Brad Pitt both get the men patients' top pick for pearly whites.
Dentists have hearts. Almost 70% of the dentists surveyed say they volunteer their services to dental charities. More than 80% say they provide discounted services at their practice, while over 70% say they donate supplies. Others provide financially to charities or volunteer at dental clinics.
Busy schedules thwart brushing and flossing. More than half of the dentists surveyed say that their patients' No. 1 excuse for not brushing or flossing their teeth is they don't have enough time. When it comes to the most interesting explanation, the CDS found out that pets don't just eat homework -- they crave toothbrushes as well!
