By Dental Tribune
International January 07, 2020
BLOOMFIELD, Conn., U.S: Cigna, a worldwide health services
organization, has recently released a study that helps confirm the connection
between oral health and confidence. Not surprisingly, it showed that people who
reported having “excellent” oral health had higher self-confidence than those
who reported “fair to poor oral health.” Researchers also noted that the
insecurities about smiles and oral health have had a direct impact on
employment opportunities for many of the people included in the study.
The
survey was designed to ensure that the composition of respondents approximated
the population of U.S. adults with regard to gender, age and census region, and
1,000 U.S. residents, aged 18 years and over, took part. In the questionnaire,
participants were asked to respond to questions about matters such as their
self-confidence rating, the impact of smile and oral health on employment, the
convenience and stress of going to the dentist, and their perceptions of
others’ smiles and oral health.
According
to the results of the study, of those who were completely satisfied with their
smile, 93% rated their self-confidence as excellent or very good. However, 15%
reported being “not at all or not very satisfied,” and 16% said their smile
impairs their self-confidence. In the study, researchers also noted that adults
who have routine dental care two or more times per year reported significantly
higher rates of self-confidence than people who go less than once a year or not
at all.
As oral
health affects many aspects of life, the impact on employment was also investigated.
More than 21% of people surveyed reported feeling less confident about job
interviews because of their smile or the state of their oral health, and 12%
believed their smile or oral health condition held them back from getting a job
or getting a promotion.
According
to Cigna, the study was conducted among consumers not only to better understand
oral health’s impact on self-esteem, confidence, employability and stress but
also to examine its impact on the ability to make and maintain meaningful
social connections. The overall goal of the study was to generate insights on
whether or not having dental coverage has a direct impact on mental well-being.
Speaking
to Dental Tribune International, Cigna’s Chief Dental Officer Dr. Cary Sun
said, “Cigna Dental Health Connect is the embodiment of our clinical approach
to improving whole person health through innovative dental solutions. We are
committed to expanding on this clinical model which today includes chronic
condition support, preventive dental care reminders for high-risk customers,
on-site dental care, and safe opioid prescribing.”
The
study, titled “BEHIND THE SMILE – Oral Health Impact Self-Esteem, Confidence and
Employability,” was published by Cigna on Nov. 11, 2019.
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