Evaluating the Reliability and Educational Quality of YouTube™ and TikTok™ Videos on Custom Subperiosteal Implants: A Cross-Sectional Methodological Analysis

Göksel Tımarcıoğlu, Erdal Cem Kargu, Hülya Çerçi Akçay, Başak Tımarcıoğlu

Full text link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41947131/

Evaluating the Reliability and Educational Quality of YouTube™ and TikTok™ Videos on Custom Subperiosteal Implants: A Cross-Sectional Methodological Analysis

1. Scientific Reference

• Study Title: Evaluating the Reliability and Educational Quality of YouTube™ and TikTok™ Videos on Custom Subperiosteal Implants: A Cross-Sectional Methodological Analysis
• Authors: Göksel Tımarcıoğlu, Erdal Cem Kargu, Hülya Çerçi Akçay, Başak Tımarcıoğlu
• Journal: BMC Oral Health
• Publication Year: 2026
• DOI: 10.1186/s12903-026-08290-x

2. Scientific Background

Digital media has become one of the primary sources of health information for both patients and the general public. In implant dentistry, video-sharing platforms such as YouTube™ and TikTok™ have transformed how complex surgical procedures are introduced to non-professional audiences. While this increased accessibility offers valuable educational opportunities, it also raises concerns regarding the scientific accuracy, transparency, and completeness of the information being disseminated.

Custom subperiosteal implants represent a highly specialized treatment option, generally considered for patients with severe alveolar bone atrophy when conventional endosseous implant therapy may not be feasible. Because treatment planning relies on advanced digital workflows and CAD/CAM manufacturing, patients require clear and evidence-based explanations regarding indications, surgical procedures, expected outcomes, and potential limitations.

Despite the growing popularity of social media as an educational resource, relatively little evidence has examined the quality of online content dedicated specifically to custom subperiosteal implants. This study addresses that gap by critically assessing the educational value and reliability of videos available on two of today’s most influential social media platforms.

3. Study Objective

The primary objective of this study was to assess the educational quality, scientific reliability, and transparency of YouTube™ and TikTok™ videos discussing custom subperiosteal implants.

Rather than evaluating the surgical technique itself, the investigators focused on determining whether publicly available audiovisual content provides patients with accurate and useful information. To achieve this, they compared videos using several internationally validated assessment instruments designed to measure information quality, transparency, and educational value.

4. Methodology

This research was designed as a cross-sectional observational methodological study evaluating publicly accessible online videos.

A systematic search was conducted on October 28, 2025, using YouTube™ and TikTok™. English and Turkish search terms related to custom subperiosteal implants were employed to identify potentially relevant content. Approximately 2,326 videos were initially retrieved. Following the methodology commonly adopted in social media research, only the first 140 algorithm-ranked videos were screened. After applying predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, 38 videos were included in the final analysis, comprising 23 YouTube™ videos and 15 TikTok™ videos.

Each video underwent independent evaluation by two calibrated reviewers. Educational quality and scientific reliability were assessed using four validated instruments:

• Global Quality Scale (GQS)
• DISCERN
• JAMA Benchmark Criteria
• Video Information and Quality Index (VIQI)

Additionally, the authors developed a seven-domain content rubric specifically addressing educational aspects of custom subperiosteal implants, including definitions, indications, surgical workflow, advantages and disadvantages, comparisons with alternative treatments, postoperative follow-up, and patient information. The authors explicitly acknowledge that this supplementary rubric had not undergone formal validation and was used exclusively for descriptive purposes. Statistical analyses included Spearman correlation testing, Kruskal–Wallis comparisons, and hierarchical cluster analysis.

5. Main Findings

Overall, the educational quality of the evaluated videos was moderate, although considerable variability was observed across individual recordings. Mean assessment scores reached 2.66 ± 1.43 for the Global Quality Scale, 32.71 ± 21.66 for DISCERN, 1.70 ± 0.54 for the JAMA benchmark, and 10.83 ± 4.90 for the Video Information and Quality Index. These findings indicate that while some videos provide useful educational material, many fail to deliver comprehensive and transparent information.

Strong positive correlations were identified between GQS, DISCERN, and VIQI scores, demonstrating substantial agreement among these validated quality assessment tools. Conversely, viewer engagement did not reflect scientific quality. Videos with higher numbers of views and likes tended to achieve lower JAMA benchmark scores, suggesting that popularity on social media should not be interpreted as an indicator of informational reliability.

When the two platforms were compared, YouTube™ videos consistently achieved significantly higher GQS, DISCERN, and VIQI scores than TikTok™ videos, whereas JAMA benchmark scores did not differ significantly between platforms. Videos uploaded by academic institutions and dental professionals generally demonstrated higher descriptive quality scores, although these differences did not reach statistical significance. Inter-rater agreement across all evaluation tools was excellent, supporting the robustness and reproducibility of the assessment process.

6. Clinical Analysis

Rather than assessing the clinical performance of custom subperiosteal implants themselves, this study evaluates the quality of the information patients are likely to encounter before consulting a dental professional. Its findings highlight an increasingly important issue in modern implant dentistry: the rapid expansion of online educational content has not been consistently accompanied by improvements in scientific accuracy or informational completeness.

One of the most noteworthy observations is the disconnect between viewer engagement and educational quality. Videos attracting the largest audiences were not necessarily those providing the most transparent or evidence-based information. From a patient education perspective, this distinction is clinically relevant. Individuals facing complex treatment decisions—particularly those involving severe alveolar bone atrophy and advanced implant rehabilitation—may naturally assume that highly viewed content represents the most reliable source of information. According to this study, such an assumption cannot be supported.

The comparison between YouTube™ and TikTok™ should also be interpreted carefully. Although YouTube™ videos achieved significantly higher educational quality scores across several validated instruments, these findings should not be viewed as evidence that one platform is inherently superior. The authors emphasize that TikTok™’s short-form format imposes structural limitations that make comprehensive educational coverage more difficult. Consequently, lower scores may partly reflect differences in content format rather than scientific inaccuracy alone.

The content analysis further demonstrates that many videos prioritize procedural demonstrations and visual appeal while providing limited discussion of patient selection, contraindications, potential complications, postoperative care, and long-term considerations. For custom subperiosteal implants—which involve sophisticated digital planning, CAD/CAM manufacturing, and highly individualized surgical execution—these omissions may reduce patients’ understanding of the treatment process and contribute to unrealistic expectations.

Importantly, this investigation does not evaluate whether online videos directly influence clinical decision-making or treatment outcomes. Instead, it provides a descriptive assessment of the current educational landscape. Its findings support greater involvement of universities, professional organizations, and experienced clinicians in producing high-quality audiovisual resources that accurately communicate evidence-based implantology concepts while remaining accessible to patients.

7. Clinical Applications

Although this study does not investigate implant survival or surgical outcomes, it offers valuable insights into patient education within contemporary implant dentistry.

The findings suggest that clinicians should remain aware that patients increasingly seek information about advanced implant procedures through social media before attending consultations. As a result, discussions regarding custom subperiosteal implants may benefit from addressing misconceptions that originate from incomplete or promotional online content.

The study also highlights opportunities for academic institutions, oral surgeons, and implant specialists to develop evidence-based educational videos covering treatment indications, digital planning, surgical workflow, postoperative care, and realistic treatment expectations. Such resources may contribute to more informed patient discussions while complementing clinical consultations rather than replacing them.

8. Level of Evidence, Limitations and Transparency

This publication represents a cross-sectional observational methodological study evaluating publicly available educational videos. As such, it provides descriptive evidence regarding the quality of online information rather than clinical evidence concerning the effectiveness or safety of custom subperiosteal implant therapy.

Several methodological limitations should be considered when interpreting the findings. The final sample consisted of only 38 videos, limiting generalizability. The analysis included only English- and Turkish-language content, and all searches were performed from Turkey, meaning regional algorithms may have influenced video selection. In addition, engagement metrics could not be fully standardized across YouTube™ and TikTok™, and the topic-specific educational rubric developed by the investigators had not undergone formal validation. The authors also acknowledge that quality assessment instruments, despite demonstrating excellent inter-rater reliability, inevitably involve some degree of subjective judgment.

Regarding transparency, the authors report no external funding and declare no competing interests. They further state that ChatGPT was used solely to improve the manuscript’s language and readability, whereas all scientific interpretation, methodological decisions, and final conclusions remained entirely under the responsibility of the authors.

9. Key Study Highlights

• Study Design: Cross-sectional observational methodological study evaluating publicly available YouTube™ and TikTok™ videos related to custom subperiosteal implants.
• Level of Evidence: Observational descriptive study.
• Sample: 38 eligible videos, including 23 YouTube™ videos and 15 TikTok™ videos.
• Number of Patients or Implants: Not applicable.
• Follow-up Duration: Not applicable.
• Primary Outcome: Educational quality, scientific reliability, transparency, and audiovisual quality of online videos assessed using the Global Quality Scale (GQS), DISCERN, JAMA Benchmark Criteria, and the Video Information and Quality Index (VIQI).
• Main Findings:
  • Overall educational quality was moderate.
  • Strong agreement was observed among the validated quality assessment tools.
  • YouTube™ videos achieved significantly higher GQS, DISCERN, and VIQI scores than TikTok™ videos.
  • Video popularity (views and likes) was not associated with greater scientific reliability or transparency.
• Scientific Conclusion: Educational information regarding custom subperiosteal implants available on major social media platforms is highly variable in quality. The authors emphasize the need for evidence-based educational videos produced by dental professionals and academic institutions to better support patient education.
• Major Limitations:
  • Small sample size (38 videos).
  • English- and Turkish-language content only.
  • Searches performed from a single geographic location.
  • Platform-specific engagement metrics could not be fully standardized.
  • The custom educational rubric was not formally validated.
  • Descriptive observational design precludes causal conclusions.

10. Scientific Impact

This study contributes meaningful evidence to the growing body of literature evaluating the quality of health information distributed through social media. While previous investigations have examined online educational content covering orthodontics, conventional implant dentistry, and other dental specialties, relatively little attention has been devoted to custom subperiosteal implants, a treatment option intended for patients with severe alveolar bone deficiency.

Its principal contribution lies in demonstrating that online visibility should not be considered a surrogate marker for scientific quality. The observed inverse relationship between audience engagement and information transparency highlights a significant challenge for patient education in the digital era. As algorithms increasingly prioritize popularity and user interaction, high-quality educational material may receive less exposure than simplified or promotional content.

The study also reinforces the usefulness of validated assessment instruments—including GQS, DISCERN, JAMA Benchmark Criteria, and VIQI—for objectively evaluating online educational resources. Beyond comparing two social media platforms, the research identifies recurring deficiencies in patient-oriented information, particularly regarding indications, contraindications, postoperative management, and treatment limitations.

Although descriptive in nature, these findings encourage greater participation by universities, scientific societies, and experienced implant clinicians in developing reliable digital educational resources. They also provide a methodological framework for future investigations exploring how online information influences patient understanding, treatment expectations, informed consent, and decision-making in implant dentistry.

11. Editorial Conclusion

This study provides a timely assessment of the educational quality of social media content addressing custom subperiosteal implants. Although YouTube™ generally offers more comprehensive educational material than TikTok™, the overall quality of available videos remains inconsistent, and popularity does not equate to scientific reliability.

For implant dentists, oral surgeons, and academic institutions, these findings underscore the importance of producing evidence-based digital educational resources capable of supporting informed patient discussions. While the study does not evaluate clinical outcomes, it clearly demonstrates that improving the quality of publicly accessible educational content should be considered an integral component of contemporary patient-centered implant care.