The impact of oral health on quality of life among orthodontic patients was assessed using the Child Oral Health Impact Profile. Responses of parents and children to questions about the quality of life of the child were very similar, suggesting that the parents were quite well able to assess the oral health-related quality of life of their children. Girls experienced more adverse effects on their quality of life due to oral health problems as compared to boys. Subscales of the Child Oral Health Impact Profile appeared to have little predictive value with respect to the general feeling of healthiness among orthodontic patients.