The Perspective of Dental Aesthetics in Finding a Job as a Dentist: A Cross-Sectional Study
10.21315/aos2022.1702.OA06
- Author:
Tong Wah Lim
1
;
Ahmad Hashridz Ruslan
2
;
Nor Syahila Ahmad
2
;
Zethy Hanum Mohamed Kassim
2
;
Noraina Hafizan Norman
3
Author Information
1. Division of Restorative Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Prince Philip Dental Hospital, 34 Hospital Road, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong
2. Centre of Restorative Dentistry Studies, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Jalan Hospital, 47000 Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia
3. Centre of Paediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics Studies, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Jalan Hospital, 47000 Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Dental aesthetics;
Dentists;
Employment, job application;
Smiling
- MeSH:
Esthetics, Dental--psychology
- From:Archives of Orofacial Sciences
2022;17(2):225-236
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
ABSTRACT:This study aimed to determine the influence of dental aesthetics in finding a job as a dentist and the
employer’s willingness to interact in personal and professional setting. Ten dental students’ smiling
photographs were taken prior to the correction of their dental aesthetic problems. The images were digitally
altered to an ideal smile. Two different questionnaires were prepared (Groups A and B) with the images
with or without alteration (ideal and non-ideal smile). The images with an ideal smile and non-ideal smile
were randomly allocated in each group and assessed by 84 private dental practitioners who has the authority
of hiring another dentist in their practice. Four questions were asked on the likelihood of being hired,
friendliness, intelligence, and good clinical skills. In general, the students with ideal smile were more likely
to be hired (p < 0.05) except for those presented with buccally erupted canine and mild median diastema.
Students with ideal smile scored higher in terms of friendliness and intelligence than the non-ideal smile.
Most of them did not correlate a smile to an individual’s clinical skills and manual dexterity (p > 0.05).
In conclusion, individuals with an ideal smile was graded more friendly and intelligent thus increases the
employer’s willingness to interact personally and is more likely to be hired in contrast to a person with a
non-ideal smile. Therefore, an aesthetically pleasing smile is one of the factors affecting the chances of a
dentist to be hired and improve their personal interaction with people.
- Full text:2.2022my0019.pdf
