Posting clinical cases on social media

Dentists often ask me if they should upload cases to social media. They are asking me as they feel a pressure to do so as they see others uploading cases and wonder whether they should or not. At the same time they feel uncomfortable about doing so.

I always ask why they are uncomfortable, and why do they need to upload cases? Most are uncomfortable as they feel they would be showing off. I always respond with ‘if you are proud of a case and want to show it (with patient consent) then go for it. But if you are entirely uncomfortable with doing so on your own profile and you do not need to then don’t’.

There are amazing Dentists on social media who upload cases they have completed, they do this mainly to market themselves as a teacher, they build substance in their brand and to create a buzz around them so that they may convert clinicians into delegates. It is marketing.

You have to respect the clinicians who upload cases, if for nothing more then the have great systems with every new patient to ensure pre-op photographs are taken as a standard record. There are too many occasions where dentists and therapists finish a restoration and wish they could turn back time and have taken that a pre-op to build the case into a nice portfolio.

If you also have great systems for pre and post ops then use them for your website and the practices social media as this is where you may convert a patient. This way you shouldn’t feel uncomfortable as the practice is showing the case not you personally.

As always do not feel pressure to copy others, even if what they are doing is great, do what works for you and if you have great cases build them into your brand with the aim of getting patients excited about the Dentistry that you offer.

Laura