title: Readability of websites containing information on dental implants.
abstract: It is recommended that health-related materials for patients be written at sixth grade level or below. Many websites oriented toward patient education about dental implants are available, but the readability of these sites has not been evaluated.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess readability of patient-oriented online information on dental implants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Websites containing patient-oriented information on dental implants were retrieved using the Google search engine. Individual and mean readability/grade levels were calculated using standardized formulas. Readability of each website was classified as easy (≤ 6th-grade level) or difficult (≥ 10th grade level).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty nine websites with patient-oriented information on dental implant were found. The average readability grade level of these websites was 11.65 ± 1.36. No website scored at/below the recommended 6th grade level. Thirty four of 39 websites (87.18%) were difficult to read. The number of characters, words, and sentences on these sites varied widely.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  All patient-oriented websites on dental implants scored above the recommended grade level, and majority of these sites were "difficult" in their readability. There is a dire need to create patient information websites on implants, which the majority can read.
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR.
authors.forename: Yasas S N
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Jayaratne
authors.forename: Nina K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Roger A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Zwahlen
mesh_terms: D032882:Comprehension; D015921:Dental Implants; D057220:Health Literacy; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011932:Reading; D014825:Vocabulary
chemical_list: D015921:Dental Implants
keywords: dental implant; health literacy; internet; online resources; patient education; readability