National Journal of Community Medicine · Published 2026-06-01 · DOI 10.55489/njcm.170620266305
Shana Ibrahim Sola, Sherzad Ali Ismael
Background: Dental aesthetics can influence psychological well-being and self-esteem, especially in professional dentistry students. This study examined these relationships in Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 271 students (153 females, 118 men; mean age 21.1 ± 1.8) from Tishk International University, Hawler Medical University, and Cihan University. The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) measured self-esteem, while the PIDAQ measured psychosocial impact. Spearman correlation, ordinal regression, and nonparametric tests were used. Results: The mean RSES was 26.7 ± 6.8 (median 27 [22-32]) and the mean PIDAQ was 2.33 ± 0.80 (median 2.26 [1.55-2.97]), indicating minimal psychological impact. There was a moderate negative correlation between RSES and PIDAQ (ρ = -0.433, p < 0.001). Gender and academic year have minimal effect on scores. HMU students were 68% more likely than TIU to experience heightened psychosocial effect (OR = 1.68, 95% CI 1.05-2.69, p = 0.031). Dental alignment or lip morphology dissatisfaction, desires for orthodontic or prosthetic treatments, and financial restrictions or fear were linked to higher psychological consequences and worse self-esteem (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Higher self-esteem is associated with lower psychosocial impact. Unmet treatment needs, dissatisfaction with dental appearance, and institutional affiliation contribute to psychosocial distress, highlighting the need for targeted support.
Abstract from DOAJ. Public domain (CC0 1.0).
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Sola, S., Ismael, S. (2026). The Psychosocial Impact of Dental Esthetics and Its Association with Self-Esteem among Dental Students: A Cross-sectional Study. National Journal of Community Medicine. https://doi.org/10.55489/njcm.170620266305