Send your letters to the Editor, British Dental Journal, 64 Wimpole Street, London, W1G 8YS. bdj@bda.org. Priority will be given to letters less than 500 words long. Authors must sign the letter, which may be edited for reasons of space. Readers may now comment on letters via the BDJ website (www.bdj.co.uk). A 'Readers' Comments' section appears at the end of the full text of each letter online.
Sir, we write to you at this festive time to remind your readers about some concerns in relation to the use of social media.
As you will be aware, the GDC issued guidance on social media usage1 specifically noting that registrants have a responsibility when they are online to maintain an image that does not bring the profession into disrepute.
Patients have brought our attention to a number of dental practice websites (and 'pages' on social media) that have hosted Christmas card design competitions for their child patients whose content we feel may contravene this guidance. We have been advised about graphic images of stockings, filled and unfilled and depictions of half-drunk glasses of sherry. We believe these are safeguarding issues for this age group.
We have been alerted also to a drawing by a nine-year-old child, gender not specified (possibly fluid), of his or her Mummy kissing Santa Claus. One of them, we are unsure which, is holding what looks like an electric toothbrush in their hands.
In the circumstances we will be writing to those practices in due course to commence fitness-to-practise proceedings. The purpose of this letter is to alert your readers to the continued vigorousness with which the GDC will pursue this misuse of social media, as they remain vigilant over the Christmas period leading into Valentine's Day and fluffy depictions of bunnies at Easter.
Important note to readers
This content has been created for the entertainment of readers in the spirit of seasonal good humour and, on the whole, possesses not an ounce of truth. All persons, products, URLs and email addresses mentioned have been invented by the BDJ Editorial Team.
References
General Dental Council. Guidance on using social media. September 2013.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hayve, B. Safeguarding: Graphic Christmas cards. Br Dent J 223, 867–868 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.2017.1096
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.2017.1096