Senior Citizens embracing ‘Internet Era’ in dental selection

South Korea: A recent survey conducted by the Korea Contents Society, titled “Dental Choice and Digital Information Level of the Elderly and Elderly,” showed that a significant number of the elderly and senior citizens are acquiring dental information through the internet.

Of the 270 participants over the age of 55, 44.4% reported obtaining dental medical information from the internet, with 93.2% stating that they would consider revisiting a dentist through the internet.

Online media priority source of dental information

When it came to the most common source of dental information, portals were the number one search word at 37.1%. Hospital homepages ranked second at 20.7%, followed by blogs, cafes, Facebook, and Twitter at 18.1%. On the other hand, online advertisements (1.7%) and internet newspapers (6.9%) showed a relatively low effect.

Traditional priorities dominate actual dental selection

Despite the shift in information acquisition path, the actual dental selection priorities remain traditional. Of those who obtained dental information through the internet, 67% cited the doctor’s expertise and ability as their top priority, followed by the reputation and prestige of the medical institution (22.7%) and the location of the medical institution (22.7%).

Significant number of seniors still prefer traditional sources of information

The reasons cited for not using the internet included difficulty finding the necessary information (16.4%), unreliable information (13.6%), and difficulty understanding the information provided (9.1%).

However, among the senior citizens who use the internet, 43.6% reported obtaining dental information from traditional sources such as TV, radio, newspapers, and acquaintances.

The reasons cited for not using the internet included difficulty finding the necessary information (16.4%), unreliable information (13.6%), and difficulty understanding the information provided (9.1%).

The research team noted that “Internet use seems to have a positive effect on dental choice” with 93.2% of internet users being willing to use the internet when choosing a dentist.

This shift in information acquisition among the elderly and senior citizens highlights the importance of the internet in providing access to dental information and the potential for further growth in this trend.

South Korea struggles with Aging Society

South Korea, one of the fastest aging countries in the world, is grappling with the aging society. With 13.8 percent of the current South Korean population over 65, the country is facing one of the lowest fertility rates in the world. In 2016, there was an average of 1.2 children per woman between the ages of 15 and 49, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Asia’s superaging challenges in dental care

To overcome the difficulties of maintaining a workplace and communicating with others, South Korean senior citizens are embracing social media to reinvigorate their lives.

Classes teaching seniors how to use smartphones have become hugely popular and smartphone-use rates among the elderly are outpacing younger age brackets, according to a Gallup poll. Many of the elderly attend social media classes sponsored by local governments, and South Korean telecom service providers, like SK Telecom and KT, also offer smartphone classes.