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BRIGHTON/LONDON – A new study conducted by researchers at the Department of Dental Public Health at King’s College London has found that some dental patients may need to consult a psychologist before undergoing treatment. In a study with 60 participants, the researchers found that higher satisfaction with appearance before dental aesthetic treatment affected patients’ satisfaction after treatment significantly.
For the study, all participants were asked to assess satisfaction with their appearance before and after dental work according to a predefined scale. Additionally, they completed a personality test prior to the procedure.
Among other findings, the researchers found that participants who were most satisfied with their appearance before receiving dental aesthetic treatment were also the happiest patients after treatment. On the other hand, neuroticism seemed to persist after treatment in those patients who were rather dissatisfied before.
“We found that it is in patients’ and dentists’ interest to ensure that patients receiving aesthetic dental work start from as high a point of satisfaction with their current appearance as possible. This will enhance the chances that they will be satisfied with the result of the treatment,” the researchers concluded.
The findings were presented on Wednesday at the British Psychological Society’s Division of Health Psychology Annual Conference, which was held from 11 to 13 September in Brighton.
