An Innovative E-book: A Comprehensive Guide to Orthodontics for the New Generation

Abstract

        Introduction:  The oral health status among Thai adolescents presents a significant concern, underscored by a high demand for orthodontic services. However, a majority of adolescents tend to rely on the internet and social media for orthodontic information, which poses a substantial risk of exposure to unreliable data. This reliance often leads to misconceptions and may result in the uptake of substandard services, such as non-professional fashion braces. This situation highlights a critical information gap between the adolescents' needs and the availability of credible, authoritative sources.

Objective: This research aimed to: 1) investigate the current landscape and associated problems of media consumption for orthodontic information seeking among the young generation; 2) examine the process of creating and developing a comprehensive educational E-book innovation; and 3) evaluate the satisfaction and comprehension of the sample group following their use of the E-book innovation.

Methodology: A mixed-methods research design was employed, structured in two phases. Phase 1 involved a qualitative approach, conducting in-depth interviews with a purposively selected sample of 20 adolescents aged 13-19. Phase 2 adopted a quasi-experimental, one-group posttest-only design to assess satisfaction with the E-book innovation using a 5-point rating scale questionnaire.

Results: The qualitative findings revealed that adolescents primarily sought orthodontic information from the internet (50%), followed by peers or individuals with prior experience (40%), and consulted dentists as the last option (10%). The evaluation of the E-book innovation indicated that the participants had a high overall level of satisfaction, with the highest satisfaction in terms of effectiveness (100%), followed by layout design (95%), and imagery, typography, and language (90%). This also encompassed the systematic process of developing the E-book, which included planning, content creation, design, formatting, review, and dissemination.

Conclusion and Discussion: The E-book, developed through a user-centered design process, effectively addresses the informational needs of the new generation, as reflected by the high satisfaction outcomes. This E-book, therefore, holds significant potential as a crucial tool to bridge the information gap, mitigate the risks of accessing unreliable information, and enhance dental health literacy concerning orthodontics among the adolescent population.