Development and psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Orofacial Esthetic Scale

Objective

This study aimed to develop the Turkish version of the Orofacial Esthetic Scale (OES-Tr) and to evaluate its psychometric properties.

Materials and Methods

The OES-Tr questionnaire was obtained from the English version of OES by translation and back-translation. The current version's psychometric properties were evaluated in a cohort of 221 participants (81 dental students, 70 dentists with 1–10 years of clinical experience, and 70 dentists with 11–20 years of clinical experience). To assess the test–retest reliability, the OES was administered twice to all participants, with a time interval of 2–4 weeks. The reliability and validity of the questionnaire were assessed. Also, in validity studies, OES total scores were correlated with Oral Health Impact Profile-Turkish Version (OHIP-Tr) total scores.

Results

The Cronbach's alpha value obtained from seven items was 0.866 in the examination performed on all individuals. Reliability results show that all questionnaire items are consistent within the test. Bartlett's test of sphericity was statistically significant (p < 0.05) and Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin test was 0.794. The results of the exploratory factor analysis indicated the creation of a single-factor structure. The examinations conducted on all participants revealed a statistically significant weak negative correlation between OES and OHIP scores (r = −0.144).

Conclusions

OES-Tr can be utilized as a reliable tool to evaluate an individual's perception of their orofacial appearance. With its excellent psychometric properties, it serves as a valuable instrument for assessing self-perceived orofacial esthetics.

Clinical Significance

OES-Tr is a valuable instrument for assessing the appearance of the orofacial region, with good psychometric properties.