The Prevalence of Body Dysmorphic Disorder and Its Associated Risk Factors Among Dental Patients: Why Are My Patients Not Satisfied?

BACKGROUND: Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a common disorder that consists of a distressing or impairing preoccupation with imagined or slight defects in appearance. In dentistry, those patients will have unrealistic expectations and usually will be unsatisfied with the outcomes of dental treatment. This study investigated the prevalence of BDD and its associated factors among dental patients.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional survey-based study, a purposive sample was used to recruit adult patients seeking dental treatment in private and public facilities. Data was collected using the validated Arabic version of the Cosmetic Procedure Screening Questionnaire (COPS) for Body Dysmorphic Disorder, a validated nine-item self-administrated instrument that is scored from zero (least impaired) to five (most impaired). Chi-Square, Mann-Whitney U, and Fisher's Exact tests were used to compare the associations between the study variables and BDD.

RESULTS: A total of 507 patients responded to the questionnaire. The prevalence of BDD was 34.1%. The average age of the participants was 35.2 years; the majority were males 290 (57%) and Saudis 436 (86%) with a college education 304 (60%). None of the demographics was associated with BDD but the type of treatment was significantly associated with BDD with teeth crowning and restorations.

CONCLUSION: This study provides insights into the prevalence of BDD and its associated factors among dental patients in Eastern Saudi Arabia. The findings highlight the need for further research to better understand the factors contributing to the development of BDD and to guide prevention and intervention strategies in dental settings.