When it comes to professional success, your smile can have a bigger impact than you might think! There are a number of studies that show your smile is one of the first things people notice about you and the feature they’re most likely to remember. Having a bright, healthy smile can make you stand out in your next interview, negotiate and better salary, and even motivate those around you to improve their job performance!
When you think about the components of professional success, you might not have considered the impact of straight teeth, good oral health, and a functional bite. Here at Mack Orthodontics, we believe in helping you reach your full potential. Wherever you are in your orthodontic journey, you can achieve any goal you set for yourself. If you’re looking for a way to add a little extra pizazz to your career path – our treatment options are the perfect place to start! Let’s explore why smiles matter when it comes to professional success, and what part our team can play in helping you achieve it.
Smiling Catches On
Humans naturally mimic facial expressions, usually without even realizing we’re doing it. This can trigger a similar emotional state and briefly boost our mood. It also allows us to understand the person with whom we’re communicating and respond appropriately – which is why we tend to smile back when someone smiles at us. It turns out that there really is something to that old saying “smile and the world smiles with you!”
A great smile is also a way to show potential employers that you could be a positive influence to those around you. Yale University professor Sigal Barsade, Ph.D. conducted a study to demonstrate this. Volunteers were divided into small groups and assigned specific tasks, with one team member secretly told to act upbeat upon entering the room. When that person came in with a big smile on their face, the mood was almost instantly elevated! Barsade also found that each individual’s performance improved and the group itself was more likely to achieve the goal it had been given.
A similar study was performed by scientists at the University of Kansas. Subjects were given stressful tasks to complete. Some participants were asked to smile during these tasks, while others were told to keep a straight face. Researchers measured the heart rates of the participants, and the subjects were asked to self-report their stress levels as they performed the tasks.
Those who had been told to smile had lower heart rates, and their bodies didn’t give into stress as easily. They also reported feeling more positive overall than those who were told to keep a straight face, proving there really is power in a smile! A positive attitude and a big smile are attractive to employers and coworkers alike. This is something that can set you apart on the job.
What’s the Halo Effect?
Researcher Edward Thorndike coined the term “halo effect” in 1920. It explains that our brains take a shortcut to attribute multiple positive qualities to a person, even if we see just one positive quality. Essentially, we extrapolate information about a person based on our own perception of them. While it may not be a particularly fair way to process new people we meet, it’s human nature, and highlights just how significant first impressions can be!
One trait that’s been proven to kick the halo effect into overdrive is a bright, healthy, and attractive smile. People with a beautiful smile are naturally seen as smarter, wittier, more successful and hardworking, and more trustworthy than someone who doesn’t smile often or struggles with oral health. If you’ve been trying to get your foot in the door or close out a deal, your smile could set off that halo effect in a way that will serve you well.
Set the tone with a smile
It’s no secret that a genuine smile makes a great first impression. Most people you meet for the first time will remember your smile and how friendly or unfriendly you appeared to be. For example, when you attend a job interview, your credentials are only part of what the interviewer will be paying attention to. If you come across as stiff, unfriendly, or unable to connect with others, it could hurt your chances of being offered the position or promotion you desire. The most successful companies don’t just look for a qualified candidate, they also want someone who will be a good addition to their team by contributing to a positive work environment and building a rapport with coworkers and clients.
Your Smile Can Boost Your Self Confidence
If you feel insecure, you won’t want to step outside your comfort zone to take risks. But this is often exactly what you need to do to succeed! Being happy with your appearance can make you feel better about yourself, and having a smile you love can really boost your self-confidence! Invisalign actually conducted a survey on this and found that almost 80% of adults who underwent orthodontic treatment said that having a healthier smile gave them the confidence to do something they never would have considered doing before. That’s pretty significant!
It may be unfortunate that appearance plays such an important role in how we feel about ourselves and how others perceive us. But the truth is, there’s no denying it can influence our overall hireability. Orthodontic treatment can give you a beautiful smile that you’ll want to share with the world, including potential employers!
Find your most successful smile at Mack Orthodontics
At Mack Orthodontics, we help patients of all ages achieve a healthy smile that feels great and looks amazing. We offer a variety of orthodontic treatments from traditional braces to the innovative Invisalign clear aligner system. Thanks to modern orthodontic technology, these treatments are more comfortable than ever before, and in many cases, are relatively discrete. This is great news for adult patients!
Speaking of adult patients, we’re seeing more of them than ever before. In fact, about 1 in 5 current orthodontic patients is over the age of 18. Healthy teeth can be moved at any age, and our current treatment options make it easy to get the smile you’ve always dreamed of! While correcting orthodontic issues will improve your oral health, don’t underestimate the importance of improved self-confidence, too! Smiling has been linked to better moods, greater positivity, and being able to connect with others more easily. It’s also shown to reduce stress levels, something most of us can appreciate in this day and age.
It’s safe to say that a beautiful smile has many benefits. From boosting your self-confidence to helping you land your dream job, a beautiful, healthy smile is an investment worth making! If you’d like to learn more about how we can give you a smile that sets you apart, get in touch today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Mack. There’s never been a better time to take the first step towards a successful smile!