ALD Social Media Policy

This document serves as the social media policy for the Academy of Laser Dentistry. This policy is a work in progress and will evolve as new social media resources and technologies emerge. As it pertains to this policy, "social media" refers to blogs, microblogs, podcasts, wikis, social networks, virtual worlds, and all emerging and as-yet-undiscovered social technologies.

 

The ALD’s use of social media is increasingly important given the rapid evolution of these tools. Staying relevant to our respective audience means, in part, that we must stay current on emerging technologies. Our interest in participating in social media is to develop and enhance relationships with members and stakeholders involved in the laser dentistry profession.

 

Upon logging in and BEFORE proceeding...

Be Generous: I agree to share ideas and content that adds value and does not engage in sales oriented contributions.

Be Thoughtful: I agree to participate in discussions and post resources in a professional manner. Postings and contributions will be monitored and inappropriate content will be removed.

Be Transparent: I agree to honor the privacy rights of others and will not post copyrighted material without the owner’s expressed permission. I also agree to honor the privacy rights of others by not collecting members’ e-mail addresses or phone numbers for the purpose of engaging in sales oriented messaging.

Be Accurate and Truthful: I agree to represent my association or company accurately. I know that I am legally liable for anything that I write or present online.

Here are a few generally accepted guidelines to consider when using social media.

  • First and foremost, remember you are representing the dental profession and the ALD. Your conduct should be consistent with our mission statement.
  • Employees, board members and committee members should continue to follow the guidelines found in the ALD Constitution, Bylaws and Administrative Manual.
  • ALD members should continue to follow their jurisdictions' Code of Professional Conduct and the laws and regulations governing their state/country.
  • You are personally responsible for the content you post. Remember that what you post often can be viewed by both personal and professional contacts. Post responsibly, and protect your privacy.
  • If you publish content related to the ALD on any non-ALD site, identify yourself and use a disclaimer such as, "The views in this post are my own and not necessarily those of the ALD."
  • Do not publish any confidential or proprietary information on a social site.
  • Do not discuss other ALD members, clients, vendors or other partners without their approval. Link back to the original source whenever possible.
  • Be nice. Don't use insults, obscenity, racial slurs or ethnic slurs. Be respectful when addressing sensitive subjects like religion and politics.
  • Be yourself. Do not post anonymously or use pseudonyms. Be aware of and respect copyright, fair use and financial disclosure laws.
  • Contribute to the knowledge pool. Whenever possible, post content that adds value to your social friends and followers.
  • Use your best judgment. If you aren't sure whether what you are about to post is appropriate, review it carefully and question what you've written with an objective mind.
  • If you are still unsure, ask an ALD executive director for her opinion. Remember, though, that you are solely responsible for what you post in any social media format.
  • Own up to your mistakes. If you have made an error, say so -- but do not alter the original text of the incorrect post. Instead, add an update in which you explain and correct the error.
  • Remember who you work for. Don't let social media activities interfere with your professional duties within dentistry or with the ALD or others within dentistry.

In summary, post responsibly and respectfully. Share resources, insights, opinions and advice with your online community and ask the same of them.

 

Procedure

If you discover the comments in online communications sites and you believe these comments should be addressed, contact the main office of the Academy of Laser Dentistry by phone 954-346-3776 or email [email protected].

 

Other General Information

Any questions or issues associated with this policy should be directed to the ALD Executive Director’s office by phone 954-346-3776 or email [email protected].

Many thanks to Maryland Association of CPAs (MACPA), whose social media policy served as an inspiration for this document.