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Direct-to-consumer orthodontics: Exploring laypeople's perception of orthodontic treatment complexity
Journal of the American Dental Association (1939)
|January 2, 2023
Summary
Laypeople prefer direct-to-consumer (DTC) orthodontics for simpler cases. Case complexity significantly influences the choice between DTC treatment and traditional orthodontists.
Area of Science:
- Orthodontics
- Consumer Health Behavior
Background:
- Direct-to-consumer (DTC) orthodontics offers a novel treatment modality.
- Understanding laypeople's preferences for DTC orthodontics is crucial for the field.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore laypeople's treatment preferences for DTC orthodontics.
- To determine if perceived case complexity influences interest in DTC orthodontics.
Main Methods:
- An online cross-sectional survey was administered to 1,362 participants.
- Logistic regression models were used to analyze the association between case complexity and treatment preference.
Main Results:
- A significant inverse relationship exists between orthodontic case complexity (using the Discrepancy Index score) and the likelihood of choosing DTC treatment.
- Participants were more likely to opt for DTC treatment for mild (3.53x) and moderate (1.79x) complexity cases compared to complex ones.
Conclusions:
- Laypeople's preference for DTC orthodontics decreases as case complexity increases.
- Consumers appear to recognize the limitations of DTC orthodontics for more complex dental issues.
