Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 8, 2026

Treatment Model for Young Patients with Psychogenic Erectile Dysfunction and Resultant Infertility
Published on: May 30, 2025
Does the skin color of patients influence the treatment decision-making of dentists? A randomized questionnaire-based
Luiz Alexandre Chisini1, Thaís Gioda Noronha1, Ezequiel Caruccio Ramos1
1Federal University of Pelotas, 457, Gonçalves Chaves St. 5th floor, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, 96015-560, Brazil.
Objective:
To investigate whether patients' skin color could exert an influence on the dentist's decision-making for treatment, in four different cities in Brazil.
Material And Methods:
Lists of dentists were obtained and the sample selection was performed systematically. Two questionnaires were produced for the same clinical case, but the images were digitally manipulated to obtain a patient with a black and a white skin color. Dentists were free to choose treatment without any restrictions, including the financial aspects. A random sequence (white or black) was generated which was placed at random in sealed, opaque envelopes. Dentists were questioned about the decision on the treatment of a severely decayed tooth and an ill-adapted amalgam restoration.
Results:
A total of 636 dentists agreed to participate in the study. After adjustments (multinomial logistic regression), it was observed that the black patient with a decayed tooth had a 50% lower risk of being referred for prosthetic treatment (p = 0.023) and a 99% higher risk of receiving a composite resin restoration, compared to the white patient (p = 0.027). No differences were observed regarding recommendation for tooth extraction (p = 0.657). In relation to an ill-adapted amalgam, the black patient had less risk of receiving a referral replacement with composite resin (0.09 95%CI [0.01-0.82]) and finishing and polishing (0.11 5%CI [0.01-0.99]) compared with the white patient.
Conclusion:
Patient skin color influenced the dentist's choice of treatment. In general, black patients receive referrals for cheaper, simpler procedures.
Clinical Significance:
Skin color played an important role in dentists' treatment decisions. Professionals may contribute unconsciously to the propagation and replication of racial discrimination.
More Related Videos
06:28E-Patient Counseling Trial E-PACO: Computer Based Education versus Nurse Counseling for Patients to Prepare for Colonoscopy
Published on: August 1, 2019
06:48Lexical Decision Task for Studying Written Word Recognition in Adults with and without Dementia or Mild Cognitive Impairment
Published on: June 25, 2019
Related Concept Videos
Changes in Skin Color: Clinical Perspectives
Albinism
Albinism is a genetic disorder that affects (completely or partially) the coloring of skin, hair, and eyes. The defect is primarily...
Assessment of Airway, Skin Color, and Use of Accessory Muscles
Introduction
The initial evaluation of a patient's respiratory system...
Bioequivalence Experimental Study Designs: Completely Randomized and Randomized Block Designs
Colors and Magnetism
When atoms or molecules absorb light at the proper frequency, their electrons are excited to higher-energy orbitals. For many main group atoms and molecules, the absorbed photons are in the ultraviolet range of the electromagnetic spectrum, which cannot be detected by the human eye. For coordination compounds, the energy difference between the d orbitals often allows photons in the visible range to be absorbed and emitted, which is seen as colors by the human...
Color Vision
Decision Making
Automatic decision-making is fast, intuitive, and relies on gut feelings...