Evaluation of the Psychosocial Impact of Dental Attractiveness Among the University of Khartoum Dental Students and Registrars
Abstract
Background Dental aesthetics play a significant role in psychosocial well‐being, especially among dental professionals who are both evaluators and subjects of aesthetic standards. In Sudan, limited data exist regarding the psychosocial impact of malocclusion among dental students and registrars. Aim To assess the psychosocial impact of dental aesthetics among University of Khartoum dental students and registrars. Methods A descriptive cross‐sectional study was conducted among 287 participants (188 dental students and 99 registrars) at the University of Khartoum, Faculty of Dentistry. Data were collected anonymously through a self‐administered electronic questionnaire using Google Forms. Participants were recruited using convenience sampling for undergraduate students and proportional cluster sampling for registrars. The questionnaire included demographic items, the self‐rated Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need‐Aesthetic Component (IOTN‐AC) and a modified 22‐item Psychosocial Impact of Dental Aesthetics Questionnaire (PIDAQ). Analyses included descriptive statistics, independent‐samples t‐tests, one‐way ANOVA, Pearson correlation, chi‐square tests and multiple linear regression using SPSS Version 22. Results A total of 70.4% of participants selected IOTN‐AC photo 1 as most representative of their dentition, and 58.2% reported being satisfied with their dental appearance. There was a moderate positive correlation (r = 0.452, p < 0.001) between self‐perceived IOTN‐AC severity and psychological‐impact scores. Females reported higher psychological‐impact scores (p = 0.008), while registrars reported lower scores than students (p = 0.015). Higher IOTN‐AC severity groups differed significantly in psychological‐impact scores (F = 4.567, p = 0.012). Conclusion Self‐perceived dental aesthetic severity was associated with psychological impact among dental students and registrars. Psychological‐impact scores also differed by gender and participant role. These findings support consideration of psychosocial assessment in dental education and patient‐centred dental care.