A hospital in Chongqing is requiring its medical staff to smile when dealing with patients, and smiles must display at least eight teeth, reports Chongqing Evening News.

The stipulation, which was first proposed by patient admissions department director Huang, was initially questioned by doctors and nurses who argued it was not necessary to smile so widely.

But Huang explained that the "eight-tooth rule" was a vivid metaphor for better service.

Patient complaints have dropped from two or three a month in the past to zero since the rule took effect.

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