Development and assessment of reliable patient-based hypodontia website

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to develop a high-quality valid patient information website with regard to hypodontia and its management, and to test its effectiveness in delivering this information. METHODS: A patient-based hypodontia website was created and placed on the Trust’s website. It was then validated using five website assessment tools: Flesch reading ease score, LIDA, DISCERN, Journal of American Medical Association and Health on the Net seal. A cross-sectional prospective design was adopted using a 15-item questionnaire to assess the effectiveness of the newly created hypodontia website in helping participants understand their management. New patients attending their first hypodontia clinic consultation appointment were invited to complete the questionnaire both before and after visiting the website. RESULTS: The newly created hypodontia website scored well with the website validation tools in comparison with previously assessed hypodontia websites. Forty participants (25 female) took part in the questionnaire study, with a mean age of 15.3 (SD 6.1) years. After visiting the website, 85% of participants felt the website was helpful in understanding hypodontia, with an observed improvement in all domains of the questionnaire, reaching statistical significance (p<0.05–0.001) in 10 of the 15 items. CONCLUSION: This study found that patients felt that a hypodontia website was effective in improving their perceived knowledge of hypodontia.