THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL-CLASS, GENDER, AND PEERS ON THE UPTAKE OF ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT

The accurate prediction of the future demand for orthodontic treatment requires an understanding of the factors which influence the uptake o f orthodontic treatment. This paper examines the influence of social c lass, gender, and peer group on the uptake of orthodontic treatment. A representative random sample comprising five-hundred-and-forty 15- an d 16-year-old adolescents were interviewed in school. The results indi cate that familiarity with orthodontic appliances among a subject's pe er group has a greater influence on the uptake of orthodontic treatmen t than the subject's social class or gender.