Jefferson Dental and Orthodontics used the social media platform TikTok to connect with their patients and show the world that dentists have a lighter side.

Through a viral TikTok video, which has now garnered over 11 million views, Jefferson Dental and Orthodontics used the platform to find out what color braces patients prefer.

Since the video took off online, the company has created a series of videos around braces and their colors, generating a total of 30 million views, 2 million likes, and 20,000 comments. The outreach campaign became a helpful tool to get feedback from its patients and learn more about what colors are popular among today’s youth.

To see how the company’s patient preferences stack up against the rest of the country, Jefferson Dental reached out to its orthodontic material supplier, GC Orthodontics, for more nationwide data on braces colors. The informal poll found that men preferred red and silver while women showed a preference for purple and light pink.

According to Patrick O’Shea, national key accounts manager for GC Orthodontics, silver, black, light blue, navy blue, red, and hot pink are among the top colors in the US and Canada.

“Adult patients tend to prefer subtle colors like silver or black, whereas kids and teens enjoy expressing themselves through color,” said O’Shea.

Because braces adjustment appointments occur every 4-8 weeks, Jefferson Dental patients have many opportunities to change up their braces colors for no extra charge. Here are a few ways they decide the best braces color:

  • What color complements their hair color, eye color, or skin tone
  • Based on the season or holidays
  • Favorite sports teams
  • Based on their Zodiac sign
  • Colors that make their teeth appear more white

“When you get braces, make sure you’re getting your teeth cleaned every 3 months. Keep in mind that darker colors make your teeth look whiter,” said Yu-Tien Lin, DMD, lead orthodontist at Jefferson Dental and Orthodontics. “We also always advise our patients not to choose white, as it’s prone to staining.”

With the positive response from patients, Jefferson Dental plans to continue using social media to engage with its patients and followers.

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