Comparisons between dentist ratings and self-ratings of dental appearance in an elderly population

Little is known about dental appearance in terms of the elderly population. The purpose of this paper is to compare self-reported dental appearance with dentist-rated appearance for individuals over 65. The subjects (N = 550) were participants in the Los Angeles based Medicare Screening and Health Promotion Trial. Most were female (57.3%), white (89.0%), and married (62.0%), with a mean age of 74.5 years. About one-third had incomes greater than $25,000. Results are based on a 45 minute telephone interview and onsite dental screening. Findings show that 40% of the self-ratings on a five point scale were higher than the dentist ratings, and 22% were lower. Bivariate analyses showed that both sets of ratings were related to dental status variables, self-reported health, and education. High self-ratings were also associated with being white and having a positive mental health status, while high dentist ratings were associated with patients who were younger, married, and who had higher income and social network scores. Comparison of results from two multiple regressions showed unique predictors for the self-ratings (marital status and GOHAI scores) and for the dentist ratings (sex and income). These discrepancies can raise barriers to effective treatment planning in the elderly, which could affect utilization and satisfaction.