Thanks to engaging social media content, dentist Emi Mawson is simplifying the complex, debunking myths and empowering patients everywhere amid the digital age’s overwhelm.
As @dentist_emi, Emi Mawson is captivating a growing audience of 92k on TikTok and thousands more on Instagram with her vibrant approach to dental care. Passionate and dedicated, she transforms expert advice into fun, easy-to-understand content. Whether she’s dispelling myths about veneers or unravelling NHS reforms, her goal is to inspire patients to pursue brighter (but, more importantly, healthier) smiles.
Posts such as ‘Your face shape should dictate your tooth shape in cosmetic dentistry. Not everyone suits every style!’ garnered 736.9k views whilst ‘Vaping and oral cancer’ reached 442.7k people. ‘Scary things about oral cancer that are literally burned into my brain’ resulted in 620.7k views and her ‘How to lose your teeth in 10 ways’ an audience of 139k. The numbers are impressive; the titles irresistibly catchy.
As such, Emi is building a dedicated following by tapping into the zeitgeist of our times – digital connectivity, the rise of Gen Z values, the demand for brand transparency and the push to correct misinformation. By focusing on trending health issues that resonate and using relatable language, Emi believes social media is a powerful tool for patient education.
The new search engines
She explains: ‘Instagram and TikTok have become the new search engines; it is where many people spend most of their time, and a reel or post can be viewed an infinite number of times. It is a great way to distribute information without it being time-consuming. The average dentist might see 15 to 25 patients in a day, and we find ourselves repeating the same tasks, so this significantly increases our reach.
‘Communication matters in the current dental health landscape. Too many people lack access to dental care, so offering free, easy-to-access preventive advice helps equip them to care for their mouths and be more proactive about their oral health. As professionals, it is therefore important to have a presence on these platforms because many trends go viral, and it’s helpful for patients to have reliable sources who can fact-check and ensure everyone receives accurate information.’
So, how does she choose topics that best resonate with her followers?
She jokes: ‘I can’t read an academic paper without finding a nugget of information I want to share with the world.’ She frequently receives questions from followers in her DMs and is often prompted to correct misinformation in a viral post. Emi says: ‘There may be a hot topic people are talking about, and I want to weigh in. I like to keep it very, very topical.’
In December, she carefully broke down the new NHS dental reforms into quick, digestible points on TikTok, recognising that the details were complex. Her punchy bullet-point style made headlines, won followers and showcased her easy-to-grasp approach.
‘There’s a lot going on in the news about dentistry, including government policies that most people don’t have time to research. I make it my job to analyse a piece of news and explain how it will affect them in the real world. I’ve got a list of topics on my phone, and I can’t keep up with the number of videos I want to make and the amount of content I want to create. So I really do find inspiration everywhere.’
Cutting through oral health confusion
Whilst knowledge empowers patients, the proliferation of oral health options on shop shelves and online can be problematic. So does she think patients are often overwhelmed by the market? If so, are they in need of a trusted source for guidance on which products work, for whom, and which don’t and shouldn’t be used?
‘The oral health market is saturated, and walking through the supermarket aisles reveals just how confusing it can be, with many brands making different claims. Online, I often see products being used incorrectly or people relying too heavily on a single product to address their dental issues. Therefore, it’s important to provide education on this topic.
‘Whether it’s the trend of using charcoal toothpaste or the abrasive ingredients in whitening pastes that can be harmful over time, we need to share our expertise to help simplify product use and highlight things people may not know, but that could benefit their oral health.’
Skincare for the gums
Emi’s recent ‘Underrated dental products that are actually worth the hype!’ list was a treasure trove of oral health tools for anyone seeking at-home hygiene tips. With 37.6k views, Emi’s TikTok listed ‘Five products I wish more people knew about, but you probably haven’t heard of’, lifting the curtain on her professional insight.
Among the products she says she is ‘always recommending to my patients’ was Gengigel, a gingival gel containing hyaluronic acid that helps repair and hydrate, and that she cleverly marketed as ‘skincare for the gums’.
Emi explains: ‘Although not widely known, Gengigel can be a valuable addition to any oral health routine, and I wanted to spotlight it alongside other must-haves. Its hyaluronic acid-based formula is gentle and microbiome-friendly, genuinely supporting healing and comfort. It’s especially beneficial for dry mouth, which can occur during hormonal fluctuations such as pregnancy, the postpartum period, and menopause, and is a common side effect of many medications.
‘Because it is an effective way to rehydrate the gums and promote healing, I also recommend it to patients who have undergone extractions or surgery to aid recovery. New brace wearers may find it helpful, particularly if they experience gum irritation. It’s also suitable for patients with periodontal disease, or who are undergoing complex perio treatments.’
Information at pace
In a world where everything is immediate and people expect instant results, Emi is happy to meet these expectations by providing information at a pace.
‘Social media allows us to respond to misinformation quickly but also address controversial topics in a generic way without a patient feeling criticised or under attack. Most importantly, it enables patients (even those who are not my own) to take ownership and learn healthy habits.’
However, in her treatment approach, she believes that only by slowing down and ensuring a solid foundation of overall health before moving on to anything else can she deliver optimal smile aesthetics.
‘While I recognise the benefits of fast, easy access to evidence-based information, once in the chair, my patients receive the gift of time and a tailored approach to their smile health. Communication and understanding are vital to any smile makeover journey and essential to the planning process. Good planning requires time to understand the destination and where you, as a clinician, expect to end up, and to ensure that is exactly what the patient wants, too.
‘You have to establish that the patient understands what is required of them, while always taking a “health first” approach. We must respect the biology and support our patients in reaching their goals before we can proceed to the exciting cosmetic treatment. Whether speaking to patients face-to-face or online, I aim to inspire and empower people to care for their oral health and get the most from their dental care. Having an online voice is part of this approach, and I plan to continue showing up to ensure people are armed with the best advice to optimise their oral health.’
This article is sponsored by Dentocare.
