PROCEED WITH CAUTION

It is amazing to think that a short time ago we didn’t have pocket cell phone computers or the internet to gather information. Today, everyone searches the internet to get information about everything. That includes where to eat, where to travel, who to see for a doctor, diagnosing conditions, and even treatment options. The information out there is overwhelming and constantly growing.

I have had four patients this past week who presented with issues in which they came armed with self-diagnosis and/or solutions. Much of the information people came with was good. An informed patient can make better decisions on treatment that meets their needs. However, there was also some misguided information. Although it does open-up dialogue, it is important to keep in mind that you can’t believe everything you read.

Since it was founded in 2001, Wikipedia has become one of the most popular websites on the Internet. In 2013, it ranked ninth among all other sites in the U.S., with more than 72.5 million unique visitors per month. The nature of the website’s data, where users submit, edit, or delete data for each entry, have created headaches and challenges for teachers and medical professionals.

Now a new study by researchers from several U.S. universities and graduate programs has sought to shed light on just how much of the information contained in health-related entries is inaccurate. “Most Wikipedia articles for the 10 costliest conditions in the United States contain errors compared with standard peer-reviewed sources,” the authors wrote. “Healthcare professionals, trainees, and patients should use caution when using Wikipedia to answer questions about patient care.”

Wikipedia’s coverage of dentistry is thorough, with its own dedicated “portal” page that starts with an overview of this profession at the top. From there, the site offers an ever-changing selection of related articles and finally, a breakdown of the different areas of dentistry, such as fields of practice, restorative dentistry, tooth anatomy, and pathology. One of the most common searches for dentistry is for dental decay. That page alone lists 112 references, many of which are peer-reviewed journals.

Wikipedia’s crowd-sourcing format lends itself to inevitable accuracy issues with its content. However, Wikipedia is not the Wild West and has established processes for weeding out vandalism and unverifiable information; consequently, half of the corrections are posted within three minutes of being verified. And in 42% of cases, corrections are made immediately.

This leads to the deduction that much of the available information is good. However, the researchers warn both patients and healthcare providers, that because their standard is the peer-reviewed published literature, it can be argued that information on Wikipedia contains factual errors.

There is nothing wrong with going to the internet to gather information. Just be aware that the information you learn may or may not be completely correct for your particular situation. The best thing to do is to bring that information with you to discuss with your provider. The experience of your provider is very valuable as well.