YUNUS EMRE OZDEN, ENDER KAZAZOGLU
Clinical Dentistry and Research - 2025;49(2):81-88
Background and Aims: Ensuring the accessibility of health information is essential for patient education and informed decision-making. The readability of online resources plays a critical role, particularly in elective aesthetic procedures such as smile design. The aim of this study was to evaluate the readability levels of Turkish online texts related to smile design and to determine their suitability for patient education. Materials and Methods: A total of 100 websites were identified by searching the Turkish term for “smile design” on the first 12 pages of Google search results. Academic articles, membership-restricted websites, content consisting solely of images or videos, and duplicate sites were excluded. The Ateşman Readability Index was employed to assess the readability of the texts. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and group differences were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests. Results: The mean Ateşman Readability Index score was 55.43 ± 8.27, classifying the online texts as moderately difficult to read. A statistically significant difference in readability scores was observed among different types of institutions (p<0.05). Specifically, texts published by universities and private hospitals demonstrated readability levels more suitable for individuals with lower educational backgrounds, whereas those from dental polyclinics and private clinics required a higher educational level for comprehension. Conclusion: The readability levels of Turkish online texts on smile design are not fully aligned with the general population’s average educational level. This discrepancy may hinder patients’ ability to comprehend relevant information, potentially affecting informed decision-making. To enhance accessibility and the effectiveness of patient education, it is recommended that health authorities and professional organizations revise and simplify online materials concerning smile design.
