Objectives This study aimed to evaluate perceptions of the credibility of orthodontists with malocclusions and whether these affect the willingness of laypeople to become patients through eye-tracking technology and a questionnaire.Materials and methods Ninety-ve lay raters are evaluated through eye tracking and a questionnaire comprising 12 images of orthodontists with malocclusions. The malocclusions selected through the Orthodontic Treatment Need Index (IOTN) groups are: IOTN grade 1 (close to the ideal), 3 (anterior crowding), and 5 (with diastemas). Eye-tracking data are collected for the xation points, and credibility was analyzed through questionnaires. A word cloud was generated on the Mentimeter platform. To validate the study and conduct a reliability test, the questionnaire was conducted twice during the preliminary stage of data collection.Results IOTN 1 received a better evaluation for credibility and competence and shows a signi cant difference when compared to IOTN 3 (p < 0.001) and 5 (p < 0.001). In addition, raters felt more con dent in installing an orthodontic treatment appliance, if necessary, with an IOTN 1 orthodontist compared to IOTNs 3 and 5. For the xation points, a difference was seen, since the attention of the individuals for IOTN 1 was divided between the eyes and the mouth, while for IOTN 3 and 5, the raters paid more attention to the mouth. The word cloud showed that the raters for IOTN 3 and 5 repeat the words "crooked teeth" and "spacing" most often.Conclusion Orthodontists with IOTN 1 were perceived as more competent, reliable, and professional, and laypeople are more likely to become their patients.Clinical signi cance The professionals' smiles play a large role in laypeople's decision to select them as their orthodontist, and strategic use of social media, can bring health information to many more people more rapidly and directly.