COMPARISON OF PERCEPTION FOR THE GINGIVAL DISPLAY BETWEEN DENTAL PROFESSIONALS AND NON-PROFESSIONALS
Hazrat Asad ur Rehman, Nabila Anwar, Syeda Multazam Ahmad, Farheen sajid, Jawad Ullah Shah, Muhammad Umer Khan, Aneela Baseer
Abstract
ABSTRACT OBJECTIVES This study aimed to compare the mean perception scores of gingival display between dental professionals and non-professionals. METHODOLOGY A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted at Rehmat Memorial Hospital, Abbottabad, involving 60 participants: 30 non-professionals and 30 dental professionals, aged 18 to 50 years. Using non-probability consecutive sampling, individuals with intellectual disabilities, color vision deficiency, or dental training were excluded. Standardized photographs of a female subject were digitally edited in Adobe Photoshop CS6 to simulate gingival display levels ranging from 0 to 5 mm. Evaluators viewed each image for 1 minute and rated it on a 10-point visual analog scale, with 00 indicating the least attractive and 10 the most attractive. Dental professionals included general dentists without orthodontic specialization, while non-professionals were patients with no prior orthodontic treatment or dental education. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare group differences. Stratification was done based on age, gender, and education level. RESULTSThe mean age of dental professionals (33.73±5.15 years) was slightly higher than that of non-professionals (31.70±7.63 years), but not significantly (p=0.23). Gender distribution and educational backgrounds were comparable. Overall, non-professionals favored minimal gingival display, while dental professionals were more tolerant of increased gingival exposure. CONCLUSION Non-professionals and dental professionals differ significantly in their perception of gingival esthetics. These differences show the importance of patient-centered treatment planning and individualized aesthetic goals.