Fig. 1.

Conceptual framework illustrating a pathway in which Person A’s oral health is influenced primarily by factors that are socially and culturally constructed (see Ben-Shlomo and Kuh (2002) for the life-course approach to epidemiology). However, others perceive individual responsibility as the primary force driving poor oral health, and based on perceptions of dental appearance, blames Person A for their deviations from ideal dental health. This discrimination can manifest itself in a variety of outcomes, which in turn, can play an important role in shaping Person A’s socioeconomic status.