title: YouTube as a patient-information source for root canal treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the content and completeness of Youtube™as an information source for patients undergoing root canal treatment procedures.
  
  
  METHODS
  YouTube™(https://www.youtube.com/) was searched for information using three relevant treatment search terms ('endodontics', 'root canal' and 'root canal treatment'). After exclusions (language, no audio, >15 min, duplicates), 20 videos per search term were selected. General video assessment included duration, ownership, views, age, likes/dislikes, target audience and video/audio quality, whilst content was analysed under six categories ('aetiology', 'anatomy', 'symptoms', 'procedure', 'postoperative course' and 'prognosis'). Content was scored for completeness level and statistically analysed using anova and post hoc Tukey's test (P < 0.05).
  
  
  RESULTS
  To obtain 60 acceptable videos, 124 were assessed. Depending on the search term employed, the video content and ownership differed markedly. There was wide variation in both the number of video views and 'likes/dislikes'. The average video age was 788 days. In total, 46% of videos were 'posted' by a dentist/specialist source; however, this was search term specific rising to 70% of uploads for the search 'endodontic', whilst laypersons contributed 18% of uploads for the search 'root canal treatment'. Every video lacked content in the designated six categories, although 'procedure' details were covered more frequently and in better detail than other categories. Videos posted by dental professional (P = 0.046) and commercial sources (P = 0.009) were significantly more complete than videos posted by laypeople.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  YouTube™videos for endodontic search terms varied significantly by source and content and were generally incomplete. The danger of patient reliance on YouTube™is highlighted, as is the need for endodontic professionals to play an active role in directing patients towards alternative high-quality information sources.
authors.affiliation: Division of Restorative Dentistry & Periodontology, Dublin Dental University Hospital, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nason
authors.affiliation: Division of Restorative Dentistry & Periodontology, Dublin Dental University Hospital, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Donnelly
authors.affiliation: Division of Restorative Dentistry & Periodontology, Dublin Dental University Hospital, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: H F
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8690-2379
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Duncan
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D012390:Root Canal Therapy; D061108:Social Media; D014741:Video Recording
keywords: endodontics; internet; root canal treatment; youtube