Crescer Sorrindo UERJ na Web: Health Promotion and Science Diffusion in Pediatric Dentistry

Abstract

In July, 2012, a Facebook® fan page was created in order to disseminate to lay people the results of scientific research conducted by members of the extension project “Crescer Sorrindo”. In view of the great success of this fan page, its developers decided to broaden its scope and created the extension project “Crescer Sorrindo UERJ on the Web” with the objectives of spreading news on dental events and publications, of disseminating evidence-based information on children’s health with emphasis on oral health, and of responding to questions on pediatric dental topics asked by lay people. The posts on the page are prepared by undergraduate and Pediatric Dentistry graduate students, supervised by professors of the Faculty of Dentistry at UERJ, with illustrations and language accessible to lay people. In December 2015, the page had 3,243 followers from many cities and countries, mostly women of the 25 to 34 age range. In 2005, one publication reached more than 98,000 visualizations. The good interaction with the target audience and the steady increase in the number of people who sees the publications on the page   show that the project goals are being achieved.