92013Jul

South End of Boston: Do bad teeth keep you out of your dream jobs?

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Last week a segment on NBC News addressed how having bad teeth can be an obstacle for job seekers in landing their dream jobs. You may wonder how this can be true.

Well, according to Dr. Susan Hyde, a population scientist at the University of California San Francisco, there is substantial evidence to support this. In America, most people, including potential employers, make instant judgments based upon appearance. When it comes to appearance most people notice other’s smiles and teeth first.

“If you want to portray someone as being wicked, they have missing front teeth. If they’re ignorant, they have buck teeth,” she states. “Even from a very early age, we associate how one presents their oral health with all kinds of biases that reflect some of the social biases that we have.” The biases that are instilled in our minds at a young age can possibly prevent potential employers from recognizing potential assets.

Another aspect of employer’s discrimination against people with poor dental care is the potential of missing work to seek dental treatments. Studies done by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have shown that acute dental conditions cost nearly two days of work per year per 100 people in the United States. That roughly translates to 164 million hours of work lost among employed adults due to dental problems. This statistic supports the idea that by hiring a new employee with dental issues you are running the risk of your employee missing work to deal with oral problems.

Another study done in 2006 showed what happened when 400 welfare recipients with severe dental problems were offered dental care. The study further highlighted employer bias because those who completed their dental treatments were twice as likely to get a job than those who did not complete the treatments.

The level that potential employers may care about their employees’ oral health is a matter of debate. That being said one thing seems to be true, a good first impression is crucial in getting a job. Without a nice healthy smile it may be a challenge to create a physical good first impression.

So whether you have a big interview coming up, are looking into receiving a promotion, or just want to better the health and appearance of your smile Tremont Dental Care can help. Stop by or call our office in the South End of Boston to schedule a free consultation to discuss these issues and more.



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