Association Between Access to Dental Healthcare Services and Google Search Trends: A Regional Analysis from Sanliurfa, Turkey
Abstract
Background: This study explores how access to dental healthcare services influences digital health-seeking behavior, based on regional Google search trends for oral health. Specifically, it investigates how fluctuations in the number of patients per dentist in Şanlıurfa influence public interest in terms such as "dentist," "implant," and "oral health."
Materials and Methods: Population and dentist distribution data for Şanlıurfa were sourced from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK), while search volume indices for selected keywords were obtained via Google Trends between the years 2014 and 2022. The analysis covered a defined time frame in which both dental service accessibility and online search behavior could be reliably tracked. A series of simple linear regression models were constructed, using the number of patients per dentist as the independent variable and Google Trends indices as dependent variables. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS version 20.0, with significance set at p < 0.05. Multicollinearity was assessed using VIF values, and no violations were detected.
Results: The results revealed statistically significant inverse associations between dental care accessibility and search interest. The search term "dentist" exhibited the strongest correlation (R² = 0.844, p < 0.001), followed by "implant" (R² = 0.726, p = 0.004), and "oral health" (R² = 0.638, p = 0.010). These findings indicate a statistically significant trend in which improved dental service accessibility is associated with increased online search activity for health-related topics.
Conclusion: There was a clear negative correlation between the number of patients per dentist and search activity, indicating that better access to dental care goes hand in hand with greater use of online health information. This suggests that improved access to dental services is associated with increased online search activity for dental-related topics
Keywords
Supporting Institution
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Project Number
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Ethical Statement
This study, titled “Association Between Access to Dental Healthcare Services and Google Search Trends: A Regional Analysis from Şanlıurfa, Turkey”, was conducted using publicly available data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) and Google Trends. Since no human participants or personal data were involved, and all data were anonymized and accessible in the public domain, ethics committee approval was not required in accordance with national and institutional guidelines.
Thanks
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References
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Details
Primary Language
English
Subjects
Dentistry (Other)
Journal Section
Research Article
Authors
Early Pub Date
August 26, 2025
Publication Date
August 29, 2025
Submission Date
April 14, 2025
Acceptance Date
May 12, 2025
Published in Issue
Year 2025 Volume: 5 Number: 2
APA
Polat, M. E. (2025). Association Between Access to Dental Healthcare Services and Google Search Trends: A Regional Analysis from Sanliurfa, Turkey. HRU International Journal of Dentistry and Oral Research, 5(2), 81-85. https://doi.org/10.61139/ijdor.1675963
AMA
1.Polat ME. Association Between Access to Dental Healthcare Services and Google Search Trends: A Regional Analysis from Sanliurfa, Turkey. HRU Int J Dent Oral Res. 2025;5(2):81-85. doi:10.61139/ijdor.1675963
Chicago
Polat, Mehmet Emrah. 2025. “Association Between Access to Dental Healthcare Services and Google Search Trends: A Regional Analysis from Sanliurfa, Turkey”. HRU International Journal of Dentistry and Oral Research 5 (2): 81-85. https://doi.org/10.61139/ijdor.1675963.
EndNote
Polat ME (August 1, 2025) Association Between Access to Dental Healthcare Services and Google Search Trends: A Regional Analysis from Sanliurfa, Turkey. HRU International Journal of Dentistry and Oral Research 5 2 81–85.
IEEE
[1]M. E. Polat, “Association Between Access to Dental Healthcare Services and Google Search Trends: A Regional Analysis from Sanliurfa, Turkey”, HRU Int J Dent Oral Res, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 81–85, Aug. 2025, doi: 10.61139/ijdor.1675963.
ISNAD
Polat, Mehmet Emrah. “Association Between Access to Dental Healthcare Services and Google Search Trends: A Regional Analysis from Sanliurfa, Turkey”. HRU International Journal of Dentistry and Oral Research 5/2 (August 1, 2025): 81-85. https://doi.org/10.61139/ijdor.1675963.
JAMA
1.Polat ME. Association Between Access to Dental Healthcare Services and Google Search Trends: A Regional Analysis from Sanliurfa, Turkey. HRU Int J Dent Oral Res. 2025;5:81–85.
MLA
Polat, Mehmet Emrah. “Association Between Access to Dental Healthcare Services and Google Search Trends: A Regional Analysis from Sanliurfa, Turkey”. HRU International Journal of Dentistry and Oral Research, vol. 5, no. 2, Aug. 2025, pp. 81-85, doi:10.61139/ijdor.1675963.
Vancouver
1.Mehmet Emrah Polat. Association Between Access to Dental Healthcare Services and Google Search Trends: A Regional Analysis from Sanliurfa, Turkey. HRU Int J Dent Oral Res. 2025 Aug. 1;5(2):81-5. doi:10.61139/ijdor.1675963