Comparing the Effect of Dental Education on Aesthetic Perception in Different Educational Groups

Savaş Sağmak; Dilan Ayluçtarhan

doi:10.61139/ijdor.1953963

Comparing the Effect of Dental Education on Aesthetic Perception in Different Educational Groups

Abstract

Background: Smile aesthetics plays a fundamental role in facial attractiveness and is an essential component of contemporary aesthetic dentistry. Dental education is expected to improve students' ability to recognize subtle variations in smile aesthetics. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of dental education level on the aesthetic perception of different smile characteristics among dental students.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 344 first- to fifth-year dental students. Standardized photographs of an aesthetically acceptable female smile were digitally modified using Adobe Photoshop CC 2018 to create variations in six aesthetic parameters: golden proportion, gingival display, maxillary central incisor length, dental midline deviation, midline diastema, and anterior crowding. Participants evaluated each image using a 6-point numerical rating scale (0= not aesthetically pleasing, 5= extremely aesthetically pleasing). First-, second-, and third-year students were classified as preclinical, whereas fourth- and fifth-year students were classified as clinical students for descriptive comparisons. Statistical analyses were primarily performed across the five academic years. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) or the Kruskal-Wallis test, as appropriate, followed by post hoc pairwise comparisons.
Results: Aesthetic perception tended to improve with increasing years of dental education. Statistically significant differences among the academic years were observed in the evaluation of maxillary central incisor length and midline diastema (p<0.05). Images with a 1-mm midline diastema received the lowest aesthetic scores across all groups. Overall, clinical students demonstrated greater sensitivity to smile esthetic deviations than preclinical students.
Conclusions: Dental education positively influences the perception of smile aesthetics, with aesthetic sensitivity increasing throughout the educational process. Clinical experience appears to enhance students' ability to identify deviations in key aesthetic parameters. These findings may contribute to the improvement of aesthetic dentistry education and clinical decision-making.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

N/A

Ethical Statement

The research was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Helsinki Declaration; approval was obtained from the Adıyaman University Ethics Committee (decision no: 2025/5-12).

Thanks

N/A

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Restorative Dentistry

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Savaş Sağmak ^*
0000-0002-0082-6297
Türkiye

Dilan Ayluçtarhan
0000-0001-9822-4739
Türkiye

Publication Date

August 31, 2026

Submission Date

May 18, 2026

Acceptance Date

July 27, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 6 Number: 2

DOI

https://doi.org/10.61139/ijdor.1953963

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA67CA82FC

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Sağmak, S., & Ayluçtarhan, D. (2026). Comparing the Effect of Dental Education on Aesthetic Perception in Different Educational Groups. HRU International Journal of Dentistry and Oral Research, 6(2), 101-110. https://doi.org/10.61139/ijdor.1953963

AMA

1.Sağmak S, Ayluçtarhan D. Comparing the Effect of Dental Education on Aesthetic Perception in Different Educational Groups. HRU Int J Dent Oral Res. 2026;6(2):101-110. doi:10.61139/ijdor.1953963

Chicago

Sağmak, Savaş, and Dilan Ayluçtarhan. 2026. “Comparing the Effect of Dental Education on Aesthetic Perception in Different Educational Groups”. HRU International Journal of Dentistry and Oral Research 6 (2): 101-10. https://doi.org/10.61139/ijdor.1953963.

EndNote

Sağmak S, Ayluçtarhan D (August 1, 2026) Comparing the Effect of Dental Education on Aesthetic Perception in Different Educational Groups. HRU International Journal of Dentistry and Oral Research 6 2 101–110.

IEEE

[1]S. Sağmak and D. Ayluçtarhan, “Comparing the Effect of Dental Education on Aesthetic Perception in Different Educational Groups”, HRU Int J Dent Oral Res, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 101–110, Aug. 2026, doi: 10.61139/ijdor.1953963.

ISNAD

Sağmak, Savaş - Ayluçtarhan, Dilan. “Comparing the Effect of Dental Education on Aesthetic Perception in Different Educational Groups”. HRU International Journal of Dentistry and Oral Research 6/2 (August 1, 2026): 101-110. https://doi.org/10.61139/ijdor.1953963.

JAMA

1.Sağmak S, Ayluçtarhan D. Comparing the Effect of Dental Education on Aesthetic Perception in Different Educational Groups. HRU Int J Dent Oral Res. 2026;6:101–110.

MLA

Sağmak, Savaş, and Dilan Ayluçtarhan. “Comparing the Effect of Dental Education on Aesthetic Perception in Different Educational Groups”. HRU International Journal of Dentistry and Oral Research, vol. 6, no. 2, Aug. 2026, pp. 101-10, doi:10.61139/ijdor.1953963.

Vancouver

1.Savaş Sağmak, Dilan Ayluçtarhan. Comparing the Effect of Dental Education on Aesthetic Perception in Different Educational Groups. HRU Int J Dent Oral Res. 2026 Aug. 1;6(2):101-10. doi:10.61139/ijdor.1953963