Dental aesthetics tied to well-being and academic success

Dental Tribune International

Fri. 23. January 2026

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AMMAN, Jordan: Dental and facial aesthetics do more than shape a smile; they can influence how individuals perform socially and academically, according to new research involving dental students. A recent cross-sectional study used the Psychosocial Impact of Dental Aesthetics Questionnaire to explore associations between students’ self-perceived dental appearance and measures of confidence, communication and grade satisfaction. The findings underscore the complex interplay between psychosocial well-being and dental aesthetics in a cohort that will soon be entering professional practice.

The survey of 371 dental students in Jordan found that self-reported perceptions of compromised dental and facial aesthetics were significantly associated with lower confidence in social interactions and lower academic satisfaction and performance. Those who felt that aesthetic concerns affected their appearance reported less confidence when speaking or engaging socially, as well as lower academic grades and satisfaction. The association with academic performance is particularly relevant in dentistry, where confidence and interpersonal engagement with patients, peers and others can be as important as clinical ability. These psychosocial effects—measured across the questionnaire domains of dental self-confidence, social impact, psychological impact and aesthetic concern—suggest that perceived aesthetics affect far more aspects of a student’s life than one might intuitively expect.

The study highlights the importance of understanding dental aesthetics through a biopsychosocial lens, recognising that students’ perceptions of their appearance may influence mental well-being and behaviour in educational contexts. The researchers suggest that dental students’ education and continuous clinical exposure heighten their sensitivity to oral aesthetics, possibly fostering internalised expectations of perfection that may amplify the effect of perceived aesthetic concerns on confidence and communication. For educators, these findings emphasise the need for dental education to provide supportive environments that address confidence and self-doubt alongside technical and clinical training.

The research builds upon earlier work exploring the link between dental aesthetics and psychosocial well-being among dental students, but pushes this line of enquiry further in showing that these same cosmetic factors may also influence academic performance. Taken together, the findings underscore that self-perceived dental aesthetics is not a peripheral concern in dental training but intertwined with communication and academic engagement in a field where these attributes are fundamental to educational success.

The study, titled “Impact of dental aesthetics on dental students’ academic and social performance: A PIDAQ-based study”, was published online on 7 January 2026 in International Journal of Dentistry.

Topics:

General Dentistry

Tags:

Dental aesthetics Dental education Dental research Dental students Middle East

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