Creating community: Online and off

How dentists maintain connections in an increasingly digital world

In the age of social media, there are many opportunities to connect with others. Apps such as Instagram, Facebook and TikTok all offer ways to meet like-minded people, get advice and network — including for dental professionals.

Dentists and future dentists are taking to the internet to create and join communities, whether that be through joining mommy-dentist groups, sharing the highs and lows of dental school or promoting in-person study groups. The advent of social media has made it much easier for dentists to find and connect with each other, both physically and digitally.

And because online networking doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon, more and more members of the dental community have experienced the advantages of learning how to use it as a tool.

Digital connections

Razel Zapanta, a third-year dental student at the Arizona Schoolof Dentistry and Oral Health, is just one of many who are reaping the benefits of social media. Ms. Zapanta shares tidbits about her dental school experience on Instagram, including tips for the application process, day-in-the-life reels and words of encouragement.

“Through Instagram it’s been a cool opportunity to meet other dental students and dentists. I got to go to so many really cool events, which I never expected,” Ms. Zapanta said.

Her online presence has led her to take several trips, including for a dental implant training course in Miami and a conference in Chicago with a dental education platform. She’s also garnered more than 56,000 Instagram followers.

The online success came as somewhat of a surprise. When she first began dental school, Ms. Zapanta made a dental-themed Instagram account for family and friends to follow along her journey, as well as to document the process of how she got into dental school.

She knew she wanted to be open about her insecurities during the application process, and she knew she wanted to make motivational posts for future pre-dental students.

What she didn’t know was how much her story would resonate with others. Upon reflection, Ms. Zapanta said it’s the balance between dentistry and her personal life that seems to have struck a chord with her community. She posts about everything from the struggles and rewards of school, to singing the national anthem at a Phoenix Suns basketball game. It just depends on what she’s feeling at the moment, and her following appreciates the candor.

“When I was first starting, I felt like everything had to be perfect or a certain way, but when I stopped caring about things being perfect, I felt like that’s when I grew my community,” she said. “I was more realistic, and I just posted whatever I wanted or how I was feeling that day, and I feel like a lot of people connect to that authenticity of, ‘Dental school is hard, and I’m not only showing all the good things about it but also the things that are hard about it.’”

Tricia Quartey-Sagaille, D.M.D., has also seen various benefits of using social media. As a general dentist who practices in Brooklyn, New York, Dr. Quartey-Sagaille uses the internet to find clients, vendors, and perhaps most importantly, a sense of community.

She’s part of a mommy-dentist Facebook group, which is for people who are juggling practice ownership and motherhood. Dr. Quartey-Sagaille herself is a practice owner and mother of a toddler, a very specific position that she said comes with “its own unique set of challenges.”

“Groups like that for me are support. Sometimes things happen, sometimes you just need to vent, and sometimes you just need to know, ‘Hey, you’re not crazy,’” she said. “You have this community of people you can talk to who maybe had different situations and can give you advice.”

Dr. Quartey-Sagaille is also in a group where dentists share tricks and hacks for finding dental-related vendors, such as phone system or membership system companies. Dentists are constantly trying to pick the right vendor, she said, so it’s helpful to have a page where people provide pros and cons of different companies.

“You really have this resource of dentists around the country who want to help you and give you honest information and reviews,” Dr. Quartey-Sagaille said. “People go on there and give their own experiences. It’s just helpful in making a decision.” She also likes to follow online trends, often posting spirited dancing videos on TikTok.

The purpose is multifold: to educate, to bring in new clients — which has happened multiple times — and to show people that visiting the dentist doesn’t have to be intimidating.

In-person connections

While social media is a powerful tool, it’s also important to prioritize fostering in-person connections. That’s why Austin Lee, D.M.D., formed the San Antonio New Dentist Study Club, which provides a relaxed and open learning environment for dentists to connect and learn from one another.

Dr. Lee, who is a restorative dentist in San Antonio, said the quarterly study club consists of housekeeping and dental news, open conversations about everything from clinical questions to dealing with business or personal issues, and critical thinking-based lectures. It serves as an opportunity for mentorship, continued education and a way to meet other dentists in the area.

The San Antonio District Dental Society markets the club on Facebook and Instagram, and there is a separate website for meetings and events. The group is also experimenting with virtual models, but Dr. Lee said there is nothing quite like in-person connection.

“I really think as human beings we need to be face-to-face to have that intimate connection and the feeling of inclusiveness around us. So being in person in a small group setting I think helps us as dentists to have an escape but also a solution in case something happens,” he said.

“[Attendees] know they can depend on at least three or four practitioners around the area if something goes down in the office, or in the practice or in their personal lives.”

Hybrid connections

Because the digital world is vast and interminable, Dr. Quartey-Sagaille said it’s important to draw boundaries. She deleted Facebook from her phone because it’s often too easy to spend hours scrolling and emphasized the importance of continuing to meet with people in person.

She added that those looking to connect digitally should only join online groups they actually enjoy being in. Some groups contain excessive venting or complaining that just adds to the stress, making it necessary to check in with yourself consistently.
Ms. Zapanta also highlighted the value in drawing boundaries, noting that dental school comes first. But as long as her main concerns are in check, dabbling in social media helps blow off some steam.

“School is definitely the priority. It always comes first before anything, so as long as my grades are okay, I just feel like social media is a good break from everything. [During] study breaks I like to make different videos and posts or just talk to friends online about their advice.”

She shared encouragement for anyone interested in strengthening their communities — online or off — because you never know what could come from it. Her advice was simple: just go for it.

“I would definitely say to just start and not overthink the things you post,” she said. “My favorite part about it all is meeting people online and also getting to meet them in person too.”