Abstract
Digital media enables the rapid dissemination of scientific oral health information from subject experts to the public. However, it also poses significant risks by facilitating the dissemination of misinformation and disinformation, thereby blurring the boundaries between truth and fallacy. This paper characterizes the decay of scientific truth in policymaking, characterized by increased public debate about scientific facts and a decline in confidence in science. It describes psychological mechanisms, such as confirmation bias and motivated reasoning, and social dynamics, including algorithm-driven content distribution and echo chambers, that accelerate the circulation of misleading science information. It suggests psychological interventions to counter misinformation, such as content labeling, debunking, and prebunking, along with digital literacy education. The paper emphasizes the ethical responsibility of dental professionals to counter misinformation with evidence-based and culturally sensitive messaging. The dental profession is called upon to uphold its core ethical values of veracity, integrity, and professionalism to combat misleading oral health information and restore public trust.
Recommended Citation
Mosca, Nicholas
(2025)
"Digital Media, Truth Decay, and the Inversion of Trust in Science,"
Journal of the American College of Dentists: Vol. 92:
No.
1, Article 4.
Available at:
https://commons.ada.org/jacd/vol92/iss1/4
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