Impact of Digital Smile Design on Patient Satisfaction and Treatment Acceptance in Esthetic Dental Practice: A Clinical Study

INTRODUCTION: Esthetic dentistry increasingly emphasizes patient-centered treatment planning and effective communication between clinicians and patients. Conventional consultation methods often rely on verbal explanations and static images, which may not adequately convey the expected esthetic outcomes. Digital Smile Design (DSD) has emerged as a modern digital tool that allows clinicians to simulate potential smile outcomes. This digital approach may improve patient understanding, enhance confidence in treatment planning, and increase patient satisfaction with the consultation process. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of DSD on patient satisfaction and treatment acceptance during esthetic dental consultation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective clinical study was conducted in the Department of Restorative Dentistry and included 80 patients who sought esthetic dental treatment. Following a conventional consultation involving a clinical examination and verbal explanation of the treatment plan, patient perceptions were recorded. A digital smile simulation was then generated using the Smile Designer Pro software (Tasty Tech Ltd., London, United Kingdom) and presented to the patients. Patient understanding of the treatment plan and confidence in the proposed treatment were assessed before and after the digital smile simulation using a 5-point Likert scale. Overall satisfaction with the consultation process was evaluated using a 10-point Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 20 (Released 2015; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York). Descriptive statistics were calculated, and pre- and post-consultation scores were compared using a paired t-test with a significance level set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: A significant improvement in patient understanding and confidence was observed following the DSD consultation. Scores related to the clarity of procedures, understanding of treatment duration, costs, and limitations increased significantly after digital visualization (p < 0.001). Patient confidence in the anticipated final smile, confidence in the dentist, certainty of proceeding with treatment, and ability to visualize the expected outcome also improved significantly (p < 0.001). Overall, satisfaction with the consultation process was high, with the majority of participants reporting improved communication and greater involvement in treatment planning. In addition, 85% of the patients accepted the proposed treatment following digital smile simulation. CONCLUSION: DSD significantly enhanced patient understanding, confidence, satisfaction, and treatment acceptance during esthetic dental consultation. Its integration into clinical practice may improve communication and promote predictable patient-centered treatment planning in esthetic dentistry.