Introduction

Fashion and dentistry may seem like unrelated fields and vastly different, but both play a significant role in shaping appearance and self-perception in recent times. Fashion refers to the styles of clothing, accessories, and aesthetics that are popular within a society at a given time, while dentistry focuses on oral health, including the maintenance and improvement of teeth. However, modern dentistry has expanded beyond health to include cosmetic procedures such as teeth whitening, veneers, and orthodontics, which are often influenced by beauty standards. In this context, dentistry functions as a “socio-technical” artifact where appearances and social expectations, rather than medical necessity, influence consumer behavior (Otto, 2017). This shift demonstrates that fashion and dentistry now “go hand in hand,” as dental technologies are increasingly used as tools for identity and self-expression (Bhatia et al., 2015). This connection reveals that dentistry, like fashion, is not only functional but also deeply tied to societal ideas of beauty and identity.

Connection to STS

Our chapter relates to STS through various ways. This relationship can be understood through the lens of the Social Construction of Technology (SCOT), which argues that societal values and cultural forces, not just technical or medical necessities, shape the way technology develops and is used. By connecting fashion with dentistry, we are aligning two very different topics that have come together in modern times and explaining how and why they are connected/related to STS and each other. Dentistry used to be for purely medical reasons, but in recent times, society has revolved around beauty standards such as perfectly straight teeth, perfectly white teeth, and more. Fashion has also evolved to include not just clothing, but bodily statements like grills, veneers, and smile piercings. These two topics, as a result of societal standards and scientific evolution, have become much more connected, a clear example of SCOT in action, where cultural beauty standards have driven dental technology far beyond its original medical purpose. In addition, dental professionals have worn entirely new types of clothing, moving from all-white tunics to now wearing popular scrub brands, like Figs. The dental chair has also advanced through high-end technology, making the office feel more modern and putting the comfort of the patient first.

However, it is important to note that not everyone is included in this evolution. Low-income and uninsured patients are often left out of the cosmetic dentistry conversation entirely, and those who suffer from dental anxiety may feel even more pressure and shame as dentistry becomes more focused on appearance than healthcare. These are missing voices in the fashion-dentistry discussion that deserve to be acknowledged.

Information on the Topic

The Evolution of Fashion and Beauty Standards

Fashion has been a rapidly changing industry in many ways throughout history. We have seen advancements throughout iconic decades that translate to social movements such as the roaring 20’s or the early 2000’s. Society has put standards and expectations on fashion and beauty relating back to how we dress and present ourselves today. Relating this evolution to dentistry is easy as we’ve seen an increase in cosmetic dentistry surgeries done on many people in recent years to fit the beauty standard of perfectly aligned and white teeth. Society has warped our minds to think someone with this perfect smile is more trustworthy, attractive and wealthier since it is more comforting to the human eye.

This trend is also visible in how we view celebrities; for example, Naomi Campbell’s teeth and her smile history show how cosmetic dentistry is used to maintain an image and marketability in the fashion world rather than just addressing a medical need (Alsaman, 2025). Today, aesthetic dentistry is even being marketed as the “hottest fashion accessory,” where things like veneers and whitening are treated as symbols of status and personal branding (R., 2025). This shift leaves out a large portion of the population, as low-income and uninsured patients simply cannot afford to participate in these beauty standards. Otto (2017) speaks to this directly, pointing out how oral health in America has long reflected deeper social and economic inequalities.

Dental Modifications and Cultural Identity

As dentistry and fashion have merged, we have seen dental hardware become a form of jewelry. Decorative dental accessories like “grillz” have become popular symbols of identity and status in the music industry and pop culture, moving dental materials away from healthcare and into the world of luxury fashion (Rice, 2022). While these modifications like “tooth jewelry” allow for self-expression, they also show how social values drive the use of technology beyond what is medically necessary (Bhatia et al., 2015). However, these fashion-driven choices can sometimes lead to dental risks. The rise of oral piercings as a widespread fashion statement has created what some call a “pretty risk,” where aesthetic body modifications can lead to medical complications in the mouth (Malcangi et al., 2023).

The Professionalization and Technical Growth of Dentistry

Dentistry has evolved tremendously throughout history, from being a side job for barbers, to becoming a professionalized field. The first evidence of dentistry came from ancient civilizations, who blamed “tooth worms” for decay. Then, in the Middle Ages, dentistry was often performed by barber surgeons, who extracted teeth and performed bloodletting. Next, in the 1600-1800s, the first dental foundational text was published, dental college was opened, and various procedures were implemented. Now in modern times, you can treat cavities with lasers, undergo complex orthognathic surgeries, and use intraoral scanners to have 3D models of your whole mouth complete in under five minutes!

Conclusion

The connection between cosmetic dentistry and fashion is an important topic in the field of STS because it shows how our society uses scientific advancements to meet cultural beauty standards. By looking at how dental technology has shifted from basic extractions to high-end aesthetic procedures, we can see that our health practices are deeply influenced by the way we want to present ourselves to the world. However, it is also important to recognize who gets left behind in this shift. Those who cannot afford cosmetic procedures and those who struggle with dental anxiety are two groups whose voices are largely missing from this conversation. As dentistry continues to merge with fashion, acknowledging these gaps is just as important as celebrating the advancements.

References

Alsaman, R. (2025, December 1). Naomi Campbell teeth: Smiling through fashion history. Vitrin Clinic. https://vitrinclinic.com/naomi-campbell-teeth/

Bhatia, S., Gupta, N., Gupta, P., Arora, V., & Mehta, N. (2015). Tooth jewellery: Fashion and dentistry go hand in hand. Indian Journal of Dental Advancements, 7(4), 263–270. https://doi.org/10.5866/2015.7.10263

Malcangi, G., Patano, A., Palmieri, G., Riccaldo, L., Pezzolla, C., Mancini, A., Inchingolo, A. D., Di Venere, D., Piras, F., Inchingolo, F., Dipalma, G., & Inchingolo, A. M. (2023, May 8). Oral piercing: A pretty risk—a scoping review of local and systemic complications of this current widespread fashion. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(9), 5744. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20095744

Otto, M. (2017). Teeth: The story of beauty, inequality, and the struggle for oral health in America. The New Press.

R., M. (2025, March 11). How aesthetic dentistry became the hottest fashion accessory. DC Fashion Week. https://dcfashionweek.org/how-aesthetic-dentistry-became-the-hottest-fashion-accessory/

Rice, K. (2022, July). Grillz. Rolling Stone. Gale In Context: Biography. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A738318240/BIC

AI Use Acknowledgements

Tools Used: ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and Gemini
Dates Used: February 22, 2026, and March 26, 2026
Summary: ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot were used on February 22, 2026, to assist with finding and organizing sources for the original annotated bibliography. Prompts included requests to locate sources related to cosmetic dentistry and fashion and to format annotated bibliography entries based on the assignment rubric. The results were used as guidance, and all sources were reviewed, selected, and summarized by the authors. On March 26, 2026, Gemini was used to help organize the rough draft by integrating those six sources into the authors’ original writing. The tool was also used to ensure the final document aligned with APA 7th Edition formatting standards for the References section.