The Smiling Advantage: Exclusive research reveals what a great smile is worth to your patients

The demand for a set of pearly whites your patients are proud to flash is stronger than ever before. But how much is a great smile really worth to them? Chances are, much more than you think.

Exclusive research conducted on behalf of Invisalign Australia has revealed that the majority of Australians (aged 18 - 39) believe simply having straight teeth makes a person more attractive, more likely to be lucky in love, healthier and more likely to land a job and earn more than their crooked-toothed colleagues.

As pioneers of the invisible-orthodontics market, Invisalign know the power of a smile but wanted to find out what value Australians placed on this essential asset.

The findings reveal that the majority value a perfect smile more than money - with an overwhelming 62% claiming they'd prefer to have a perfect smile for the rest of their lives than $10,000 added to their superannuation fund.

Given 79% say they are dissatisfied with some aspect of their smile and almost one in three specifically concerned with the straightness of their teeth - these findings represent a unique opportunity for you to educate a whole new market of image conscious professionals about their options.

Additional findings from the research include:

Crooked teeth or straight teeth - first impressions count:

• 9 in 10 Australians believe that simply having straight teeth makes you more attractive
• The majority of Australians believe someone with straight teeth is more likely to be lucky in love than those with crooked teeth
• More than half of Australians believe that the job candidate with straight teeth is more likely to get the job than their crooked-toothed counterpart, even if they have the same level of skills and experience.
• Just based on appearance, Australians expect that employees with straight teeth can earn up to $5,000 more per year than their crooked toothed colleagues

Dating and smiling - it's important:

• Around 9 out of 10 Australians are more likely to start a conversation in a bar with someone who smiles a lot.
• When it comes to dating - 63% say they're less likely to go on a second date with someone who doesn't smile and 45% say the same about someone with bad teeth; making these two factors twice as off-putting as someone who still lives at home with their parents or doesn't offer to pay!
• More than half of Australians choose either a great smile or straight teeth as key features that make a potential partner more attractive

Exactly what are straight teeth worth to your patients?

• The majority of 18 - 39 year olds value a perfect smile more than money! An overwhelming, 62% would prefer to have a perfect smile for the rest of their lives than $10,000 added to their superannuation fund.
• 79% are dissatisfied with some aspect of their smile with almost one in three worried about the straightness of their teeth.
• Of those unhappy with their smile, 88% would consider giving up some of life's pleasures for a year, in exchange for a perfect smile.
  • 47% nominated alcohol
  • 45% chose Facebook
  • 39% selected chocolate
  • Most surprisingly, 12% would consider forgoing sex for a whole year to get their perfect smile.