Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 12, 2026
Oral Health Assessment by Lay Personnel for Older Adults
Published on: February 2, 2020
Comparison of two scales for evaluation of smile and dental attractiveness
Pedro Lima Emmerich Oliveira1, Andrea Fonseca Jardim da Motta1, Clarice Julia Guerra1
1School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Objective:
To compare the visual analogue scale (VAS) and the simplified Q-sort method used to investigate the highest level of agreement among dentists, orthodontists and laypeople when assessing smile and dental attractiveness.
Material And Methods:
An album containing 258 photos of 86 individuals with their lips at rest, a slight and broad smile, was assessed by 25 dentists (general clinicians and various specialties), 23 orthodontists and 27 laypeople with regard to smile and dental attractiveness. To this end, both VAS and simplified Q-sort method were used. Agreements were calculated by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).
Results:
For the single measurement between the VAS method and the simplified Q-sort method, all simplified Q-sort rates were higher in all groups. The simplified Q-sort method results ranged between 0.42 and 0.49 while those of the VAS method varied between 0.37 and 0.42. The simplified Q-sort method also presented higher mean measurement values (0.95 and 0.96) in comparison to VAS (0.94 and 0.95).
Conclusions:
Both scales may be considered reliable for evaluating smile and dental attractiveness; however, the simplified Q-Sort method presented slightly higher values than the VAS method.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Assessment of the Mouth
Mouth Inspection
The inspection begins with visually examining the mouth for symmetry, color, and size.
01:15Teeth
In the bud stage, the tooth germ (an aggregation of cells) starts to form in the developing jawbone. During the cap stage, the tooth germ differentiates into enamel organ, dental papilla, and dental sac, which will later develop into the tooth's enamel, dentin...
01:11Oral Cavity
Teeth: The teeth are the hardest structures in our bodies. Humans have two sets of teeth throughout their lifetime: deciduous (baby) teeth and permanent teeth. Each tooth consists of several parts: the crown (visible part), the root (embedded in the jaw), enamel (hard outer...