Study Finds A Nice Smile Makes a Good First Impression

Findings indicate 76% of people base first impressions on a smile, yet most people are unhappy with their smile.

A study put out by Spark Aligners found that people with straight teeth were perceived as more trustworthy, confident, and approachable.

A national survey of 2,000 Americans conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Spark Aligners reinforced the effects of crooked teeth on people’s first impressions.

According to the survey, 68% of Americans said people who smile are more trustworthy, confident, and approachable, and 76% said that a smile is the best physical trait for making a first impression.

Despite this, 60% of people say they hate how their smile looks in photos, and 40% say they don’t always smile in photographs but instead make facial expressions to hide their smile.

When asked if they could benefit from teeth straightening treatment, 60% of adults said yes, and 70% believed it would improve their self-esteem.

“Whether we like it or not, we are often judged by our appearance,” said Sheila Tan, vice president, global marketing and clinical education for Spark Clear Aligners. “The results of this Impression Evolution survey prove what I’ve always believed, which is the importance of an attractive, healthy smile, whether you’re socializing and networking, face-to-face or virtually. Your smile has more of an effect on what others perceive about you than you think.”

The survey also looked at how people curate their online persona through photos, with 62% saying they planned to update their online presence with new photos.

They also cited a smile as the top feature to judge a prospective date’s profile photo while using a dating app. It was more than twice as important as looking at a person’s body type at 32% compared to 15%.

“Many people tend to focus on fixing the things about themselves they think will have the biggest impact, often overlooking one of the most impressionable physical attributes like their teeth,” said Tan. “The good news is a beautiful, trust-building smile is attainable at every age, thanks to newer, more comfortable, and discreet treatments such as clear aligners for youth and adults.”