18 January 2023

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Direct-to-consumer orthodontics

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Background

The authors aimed to explore the treatment preferences of laypeople regarding direct-to-consumer (DTC) orthodontics and to identify whether case complexity is one of the factors influencing interest in DTC orthodontics. The study was published Dec. 31, 2022 in the Journal of the American Dental Association and was led by a team at the School of Dentistry at the University of Alberta, Canada. 

Methods

The researchers conducted an online cross-sectional survey and analyzed the data using logistic regression models.

Results

According to the study, a total of 1,362 surveys were completed. A significant inverse association was identified by researchers between the complexity of an orthodontic case, as measured using the American Board of Orthodontics’ discrepancy index score, and the likelihood of choosing DTC treatment over an orthodontist. 

Participants were more than 3.5 times more likely to choose DTC treatment for a mild case compared with a complex case. The likelihood of choosing DTC treatment for a moderate case was only 1.8 times higher than for a complex case.

Conclusions

When laypeople were asked to consider each case as if it were their own teeth, there was a significant inverse association between the complexity of an orthodontic case, as measured using the DI score, and the likelihood of choosing DTC treatment over an orthodontist. 

Laypeople were more likely to choose DTC orthodontics for teeth that did not appear crowded and were well aligned within the arches. Laypeople seemed to have an understanding that there are some limitations to DTC orthodontics.

Practical Implications

Orthodontists should better understand the factors influencing consumers’ decisions to select DTC orthodontics and dental organizations should focus their educational campaigns on these factors.

Dr. Sawsan Tabbaa et al. "Direct-to-consumer orthodontics." JADA. December 31, 2022. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2022.10.017