Evaluation of facial esthetics by a panel of professionals and a lay panel

The daily business of every orthodontist is to correct malocclusions and the patient's accompanying unesthetic appearance, thus enhancing his/her social integration and boosting their self-esteem. Consequently, we considered it necessary to have the facial esthetics of the Moroccan population assessed by two panels, one a lay group representing the general public, the other a panel of professionals. We conducted a transverse descriptive inquiry on 100 students from the Casablanca School of Dental Medicine. Views showing the full face, profile and three-quarters smile were submitted for evaluation by the lay and professional panels. Statistical comparison showed a significant correlation between the two panels. Cephalometric findings of the eight cases judged to be the most attractive were compared with Steiner analysis and showed concordance for the majority of the measurements studied. Likewise, comparison of the opinions of the male and female sections of the panels demonstrated significant concordance.