The impact of dental appearance on perceptions of personal characteristics among Chinese people in the United Kingdom.

OBJECTIVE

To ascertain whether dental appearance affects perceptions of personal characteristics among Chinese people living in the UK.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional analytic interview study.

SETTING

Public places frequented by Chinese people.

PARTICIPANTS

Quota sample of 165 Chinese adults living in the UK.

METHODS

Each participant was asked to make judgements about the personal characteristics of the subject of a single colour photograph. Fifteen photographs were used of five different men each with three degrees of dental disease.

MAIN OUTCOMES

Judgements of the adjustment and social and intellectual competence of the subjects of the photographs.

RESULTS

Participants judged subjects with less dental disease to be better adjusted and more intellectually competent.

CONCLUSION

Dental appearance affected the judgements about some personal characteristics made by the Chinese people studied. Dental appearance may influence social interactions and contribute to social selection and the associations between health and socio-economic status.