For years, the government has relied on conventional surveys such as RISKESDAS (Basic Health Research) to assess public health conditions. However, this method has a fundamental limitation: it only captures those who are officially recorded, not those who are marginalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Social media, on the other hand, captures what never appears in questionnaires: anxiety, confusion, and even despair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An analysis of hundreds of posts on Quora and Threads (2023\u20132025) revealed a consistent pattern: people actively seek solutions, but not through official channels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey seek information, but not from dentists. They turn to social media and Google,\u201d Prof. Rosa explained. Why?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hidden Barriers: Cost, Access, and Distrust<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Patients\u2019 reluctance to visit clinics is not merely due to lack of knowledge. Deeper structural factors are involved: dental services are still perceived as expensive, the distribution of dentists remains uneven, and communication with healthcare providers is often viewed as rigid and lacking empathy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yet the least discussed issue is the crisis of trust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Social media offers something the formal system does not: anonymity, immediacy, and the feeling of being \u201cheard.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ironically, this space is often dominated by voices that may lack professional competence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe people responding are not necessarily dentists. Sometimes they are simply sharing personal experiences,\u201d said Prof. Rosa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here lies the paradox: society abandons a credible system and instead relies on one that is largely unverified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Misinformation Flourishing in a Vacuum<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Further investigation showed that social media is not only a space for discussion, but also an arena of information contestation, including misinformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The analyzed data revealed: Treatment recommendations without medical basis, Product promotions disguised as health solutions, and Personal experiences treated as \u201cuniversal truths\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some even led to dangerous practices: self-medication without diagnosis and delays in seeking professional treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe potential for misinformation is significant. The answers vary; some are accurate, others are not,\u201d Prof. Rosa stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When the state is absent, the empty space is filled by algorithms\u2014and algorithms never prioritize accuracy, only engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \"Silent Epidemics<\/em>\u201d: Diseases That Never Enter Official Reports<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the most concerning findings was the emergence of what researchers called \"silent epidemics\u201d<\/em> \u2014health problems absent from official systems yet widely discussed online. These included: Bruxism<\/em> caused by stress, Pregnant women\u2019s anxiety regarding medication, Post-tooth extraction care, and Minor trauma triggering pain<\/p>\n\n\n\n These issues rarely appear in national reports, yet they thrive within digital spaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDigital narratives reveal realities invisible in statistics,\u201d the study concluded. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This raises a serious question: have health policies been built upon incomplete data?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vulnerable Groups: Present in Data, Absent in Policy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Discussions on social media showed strong concern for vulnerable groups such as pregnant women, children, and older adults. However, this concern is not matched by the availability of valid information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf they cannot find answers, they will turn to assumptions or myths,\u201d Prof. Rosa explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Furthermore, older adults rarely appear as active participants in digital discussions. Instead, they are \u201crepresented\u201d by family members\u2014an indication of broader inequalities in access to information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Critical Analysis: When the Healthcare System Loses Relevance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n These findings are not merely a communication phenomenon, but a signal that the healthcare system is losing relevance in the public eye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Three major failures were identified:<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Under these conditions, society constructs an \u201calternative healthcare ecosystem\u201d that remains unregulated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Who Is Responsible?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n An unavoidable investigative question emerges: Blaming the public for \u201ctrusting the internet\u201d is a dangerous oversimplification. Instead, this phenomenon demonstrates that the system has not adapted sufficiently to behavioral change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSocial media can serve as an early warning system,\u201d Prof. Rosa emphasized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yet until now, no serious integration has been established between digital data and national health policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Conclusion: A Visible Crisis That Remains Unacknowledged<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This investigation leads to one uncomfortable conclusion: Social media has exposed what has long been hidden: untreated pain, unanswered anxieties, and unmet needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The question is no longer whether the data are valid, but whether the state is willing to listen to voices emerging outside its own system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If not, this \u201csilent epidemic\u201d will continue to grow\u2014not in dental clinics, but within social media timelines<\/em> flooded with directionless oral health information across cyberspace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reporter: Andri Wicaksono, S.Sos., M.I.Kom.; Photography: Fajar Budi Harsakti, SE<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Data pemerintah melalui Survei Kesehatan Indonesia (SKI) 2023 mencatat 56,9% masyarakat mengalami masalah gigi, namun hanya 8,1% yang mengakses layanan dokter gigi. Selisih yang menganga ini bukan sekadar angka, hal itu adalah indikasi sistemik: jutaan orang sakit, tetapi memilih diam dari sistem formal. Namun, \u201cdiam\u201d itu ternyata semu. \u201cMereka bukan tidak bersuara. Suaranya ada di […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":295,"featured_media":17944,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[136],"tags":[298,289,291],"class_list":["post-17942","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-berita-terbaru","tag-sdg-10-mengurangi-ketidaksetaraan","tag-sdg-3-kesehatan-dan-kesejahteraan-yang-baik","tag-sdg-4-pendidikan-berkualitas"],"gutentor_comment":0,"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fkg.ugm.ac.id\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/30\/2026\/04\/image-53.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n
Is this an individual failure, or a systemic one?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Indonesia\u2019s oral health crisis is not invisible\u2014it is simply not fully acknowledged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n