The Role of Psychology in Dental Practice Discussed at IGU

As part of the “Psychological Perspectives in Dental Practice Symposium” organized by Istanbul Gelişim University Faculty of Dentistry, Asst. Prof. Dr. Berk Efe Altınal, Director of the IGU Psychology Application and Research Center, delivered a presentation titled “Dental Health and Social Psychology: Oral and Dental Health Between the Body, Identity, and Stigmatization.”

In his presentation, Dr. Altınal emphasized that oral and dental health should be understood not only as a biological or technical field of intervention, but also as an experience shaped by social and psychological factors. He stated that while the biomedical model remains essential for dental practice, patients may come to clinical encounters not only with pain, tooth decay, or treatment needs, but also with fear, shame, previous negative experiences, trust issues, and concerns about social evaluation.

The presentation also focused on the relationship between dental appearance, self-presentation, social status, aesthetic norms, and processes of being evaluated by others. Dr. Altınal noted that oral and dental health problems can sometimes be associated with stigmatizing judgments such as “neglect,” “poor self-care,” or “irresponsibility,” which may intensify feelings of shame, avoidance, and delayed treatment.

Dr. Altınal further highlighted the importance of using clear, non-judgmental clinical language that supports the patient’s sense of control. He underlined that a trauma-informed and identity-sensitive approach does not mean that dentists are expected to act as psychologists; rather, it means being able to recognize the patient’s lived experience, social position, and possible vulnerabilities within the clinical encounter.

The presentation concluded by emphasizing that, alongside technical expertise, seeing the patient in their social, psychological, and human dimensions can strengthen the quality of clinical encounters in dental practice.