Use of Social Networks in Dental Students at a Private Peruvian University

Abstract

Introduction: Currently, faced with the great demand for dental health services, it is necessary to establish a proper communication between patients and future professionals in social media.

Objective: Determine the use of social networks in undergraduate students of the Teaching Dental Center (TDC) at Cayetano Heredia Peruvian University (CHPU), Lima - Peru, 2020.

Material and methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out, with a sample of 115 undergraduate students. The study is based on a survey with 12 qualitative questions (dichotomous and polytomous). The study variables were: use of ICTs, age and sex. For the statistical analysis, a descriptive analysis was carried out and for the bivariate analysis the z distribution was determined using the Kolmogórov-Smirnov test, consequently the U Mann Whitney and Chi-square tests were used; the study presented a confidence level of 95% and a p<0.05.

Results: About the 73.04% (n=84) students who use their social networks Often/Frequently for more than two hours a day, 82.14% (n = 69) were female and 17.86% (n = 15) were male. The average number of social networks used per respondent is 4.67.

Conclusion: A frequent use of social networks was determined by the undergraduate students of the Teaching Dental Center at Cayetano Heredia Peruvian University, Lima-Peru, 2020.