Quality and reliability of Youtube videos as a source of patient information about root canal treatment: An analysis of Turkish content

Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the quality and reliability of Turkish videos shared on the YouTube video sharing site regarding root canal treatment.
Methods: A total of 360 videos were listed using three different keywords, and 99 of these were included in this study. The quality and reliability of the videos were assessed using the Quality Criteria for Consumer Health (DISCERN) and the Global Quality Scale (GQS).
Results: Quality assessment results demonstrated that the mean DISCERN score was 27.95±6.93, and the mean GQS score was 1.83±0.77. According to the DISCERN scores, the quality and reliability of the videos were mostly ‘inadequate,’ while the GQS score categorized the average video quality as ‘poor.’ A positive correlation was found between DISCERN and GQS scores (p<0.001; r=0.917).
Conclusion: There is a growing need for high-quality video content that delivers comprehensive and accurate information regarding the indications, clinical procedures, and postoperative prognosis of root canal treatment, ideally developed by endodontic specialists. After assessing the quality of these videos using internationally accepted criteria, it is believed that sharing only high-quality videos will provide more informative content for patients.

Keywords: Internet and health, root canal treatment, YouTube videos.