Blog

There is an adage as old as modern retail, “Service with a smile.” For many people nowadays,friendly service with a smile is the minimum expected when they buy a coffee or go to a shop to find the latest upgrade for their mobile phone. A smile says a lot about a person and in retail it is welcoming, friendly and warm. What many people do not realise is that smiles are not just the concern of dental professionals but are a huge area of research amongst evolutionary biologists and psychologists interested in human interaction and emotion.

There are two types of smile, and most people will be aware of both in certain situations. There is the kind of smile where someone raises the corner of their mouth and forms the smile shape with their lips and there is the smile where people can be seen to be “smiling with their eyes” (something familiar to anyone who has watched America’s Next Top Model.) The “smiling with your eyes” smile is known as the Duchenne Smile, named after a Guillaume Duchenne a French neurologist who identified the muscle and nerve groups used when people smile with their mouth, raise their cheeks, get crow’s feet and when their eyes seem to sparkle.

What evolutionary biologists and psychologists have learned about smiles is that they are one of the most effective forms of emotional communication we have. When we smile, we let someone know we are open to their thoughts, and we are accepting of what they have to say. Smiling is a sign of reassurance and understanding. There is even evidence to suggest that given the exact same encounter with someone, where someone is smiling, the encounter will be marked as favourable. When they are expressionless, the encounter is not memorable and the person even reports dissatisfaction with the non-smiler. This research shows that smiling is an extremely important aspect of a customer service and sales representative’s role.

What dentists find is that there are many people who are unhappy with their smile, and they try and hide their smile. The research that was carried out after Duchenne identified different types of ‘smile’ showing that people understand when someone is not being honest in their smile, when people force a smile or suppress or hide their smile. A good dentist will work with you to ensure you are confident in your smile and that your teeth are in great condition so that you can readily use those mouth, cheek and eye muscles to smile brightly. A confident smile is important for all jobs, but the confident ability to express and communicate your emotions is paramount to building good relationships and for excellent customer service in business.

To book your free smile makeover consultation with our Patient Coordinators, call our customer service team now on 01 2842570 or email info@seapointclinic.ie