Psychological variables and tests used in general psychology have been used in the prediction of patient acceptance of dentures. However, a survey of the dental literature indicates that with the possible exception of a 'focused interview' on self-image, none of these methods are of clinical value, either for practical reasons or because their ability to predict denture acceptance is negligible. In the present study 74 individuals with newly made dentures were interviewed with a focused interview and 16 additional questions. No correlations of practical importance between these psychological variables and denture acceptance were found, indicating that useful indicators of patient acceptance of dentures will have to be designed for the prosthodontic problem specifically.