〔Abstract〕 To explore the visual attention distribution across different lateral facial profiles and ana- lyze the influence of observer gender and professional background on aesthetic evaluation，providing an aesthetic basis for the design of clinical orthodontic treatment. Methods Eye-tracking technology was employed to record the gaze paths of 136 subjects（orthodontists，non-orthodontic dentists，and non-professionals）when evaluating three types of male and female lateral profiles（convex，straight，and concave）. A questionnaire survey was con- ducted using a visual analog scale（VAS）. Data differences and the consistency between eye-tracking and question- naire results were analyzed through t-tests，analysis of variance（ANOVA）， and Kappa coefficient analysis. Re ⁃ sults The questionnaire scores for straight profiles were significantly higher than those for convex and concave pro - files（P<0. 05）. Eye-tracking revealed that subjects primarily focused on the eye and nasal regions（P<0. 001）， followed by the mouth. However，orthodontists showed no significant difference in attention between the mouth and eye-nasal areas（P>0. 05）. Additionally，gender differences were notable. Female observers prioritized the mouth （P<0. 05），while male observers paid later attention to the oral-buccal region. The forehead and chin rapidly at- tracted attention during the initial evaluation phase ，particularly in female concave profiles（ P<0. 05）. Eye- tracking data demonstrated high consistency with questionnaire results (κ=0. 868）. Conclusion This study，uti- lizing eye-tracking technology，finds that the eye and nasal regions are the core focus areas for aesthetic evaluation of lateral profiles. Gender differences result in distinct gaze preferences（males emphasize the nose，while females emphasize the eyes），whereas orthodontists focus more on the lips and forehead. As aesthetic baselines，the fore- head and chin，with their profile characteristics，should be prioritized in treatment. This research provides a basis for developing personalized orthodontic plans and establishing aesthetic consensus between clinicians and patients.