When convenience trumps quality of care: A population-based survey on direct to consumer orthodontics

• Published in: American journal of orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics 2021-05, Vol.159 (5), p.e411-e422
• Main Authors: Bous, Rany M., Apostolopoulos, Konstantinos, Valiathan, Manish
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: COVID-19; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dentistry; Humans; Orthodontics; Orthodontists; SARS-CoV-2; Surveys and Questionnaires; United States
• ISSN: 0889-5406; 1097-6752
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ajodo.2020.10.025

Since the introduction of direct to consumer orthodontic (DTCO) products in the last decade, these products have been increasing in popularity among orthodontic patients. The purpose of the current article was to assess the populations’ perception of DTCOs and to examine various factors that may influence their decision in choosing treatment with DTCO products. A cross-sectional population-based survey was conducted in the United States. The 35-question survey was disseminated through Amazon Mechanical Turk (Amazon.com, Inc, Seattle, Wash), and participants were asked questions about their demographics, their perceptions of DTCOs, orthodontists, and factors that may influence their decision should they decide to pursue orthodontic treatment. Pearson's correlations were conducted to assess the association between various factors and the participants’ likelihood to choose DTCO products. A total of 1441 subjects participated in the study. More than 83% of the participants have considered pursuing orthodontic treatment to some extent. Twenty-three percent reported that they would highly likely choose DTCO products. The majority of participants reported convenience to be the greatest benefit of DTCOs, followed by cost. The majority of responses seemed to favor DTCOs. Forty-seven percent reported that the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic did not affect their preference, whereas 26.6% reported to be more likely to pursue DTCOs because of the pandemic. The majority of participants seemed to perceive DTCOs as a viable alternative for seeking orthodontic care. Although participants had concerns about the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, results showed that the pandemic might not significantly affect the preferences. Orthodontists and their constituent organizations may consider more robust awareness and advocacy campaigns to educate the population about orthodontic treatment and the benefits of pursuing treatment with a trained orthodontist. •Direct to consumer orthodontics (DTCOs) have seen a surge in popularity recently.•A population-based survey examined the consumers’ preferences and understanding of DTCOs.•Participants perceived DTCOs as a viable alternative for seeking orthodontic care.•Consumers perceive cost and convenience as the greatest benefits for seeking DTCO.