Smile For Us
Teeth are a large source of insecurity for many people. But they shouldn’t be.
Teeth are an essential part of human anatomy, they are pivotal in maintaining the shape and symmetry of the face. They uphold the cheeks, anchor the jawbone, and reinforce the facial skeleton. Teeth also play a crucial role in speech, not only do they enable articulation, but they also aid in pronunciation clarity, transforming sounds into comprehensible speech.
Unfortunatly, many people disregard the essential need for their teeth and primaraly focus on their appearance. From whitening and braces to vaneers, the dental aesthetics industry is currently worth EUR 30.3 billion and is continuously growing.
I wanted to focus on authentic teeth. Teeth that tell a story. Wether they’re perfectly alligned, or perfectly imperfect, I want the teeth to speak for themselves.
Written by: GRACE FITZPATRICK
Photography by: GRACE FITZPATRICK
The photographs in this gallery were captured on St. Patrick’s Day in Dublin, a day traditionally associated with outward expression and communal identity. However, the process of documenting these smiles revealed a clear difference in how different people reacted to the project.
While the gallery displays a diverse range of dental structures, the collection is a result of many interactions that didn't make the final cut. During the shoot, a pattern emerged regarding how people responded to the camera. Most men I approached were very apprehensive, frequently declining to participate. While their reasons varied, their hesitation was a contrast to the women I spoke with. The majority of women responded with immediate excitement, often volunteering their smiles the moment the project’s focus on authenticity was explained. This suggests a growing readiness among women to reclaim their natural features from commercial beauty standards.
A number of photographs were excluded from this final selection to ensure the focus remained on the structural narrative of the teeth themselves. This gallery serves as a testament to those who were willing to be seen without the filter of cosmetic enhancement. By showcasing these unfiltered images from the streets of Dublin, we aim to challenge the stigma of the "imperfect" smile and acknowledge the authenticity of the natural human form.