Associated Dental Students

Integral to any health care facility’s standards of excellence are the professional appearance and demeanor of every person contributing, directly or indirectly, to the care and management of patients. The image that you present in your interaction with your patients, colleagues, and visitors will have a major influence on how your patient will perceive you as a professional. Changes from established standards in appearance and behavior are detrimental to maintaining the high standards our patients expect and may cause them to question the standard of care offered at the School of Dentistry. These guidelines are in effect in all clinics of the University of California San Francisco, School of Dentistry.

Personal Hygiene

Hair

•Hair should be clean and well groomed.

•Men must be clean-shaven or beards and mustaches must be clean, neatly trimmed, and well groomed.

•When working with patients, hair must be kept out of the field of operation so that it does not require handling during any treatment procedure.

Personal Cleanliness

•Body hygiene is required so that offensive body odor is avoided.

•Strong perfumes, colognes, or after-shave lotions should be avoided.

Fingernails

•Hands and fingernails must be kept immaculately clean.

•Fingernails must be kept trimmed and well manicured.

Jewelry

•All jewelry should be kept out of the field of operation (Example: dangling earrings, necklaces).

General Clinic Attire

Men:

•Collared shirt (optional necktie), trousers, socks, and closed dress shoes.

Women:

•Skirt or slacks with blouse or a dress. Slacks must reach the ankle. Skirts, dresses, or culottes must be at approximate knee length or longer. Hosiery must be worn with skirts and dresses, and socks or hosiery must be worn with slacks. Closed dress shoes/dress boots must be worn.

Scrubs:

•Clean, matching upper and lower scrubs may be worn as an alternative to the clothing listed above.

•T-shirts or short-sleeved shirts may be worn under scrubs.

•Any clean, closed-toe, solid color shoes may be worn.

•Socks are required.

•Color of scrubs must conform to appropriate clinic gown color (currently light blue for dental and dental hygiene students).

Gowns:

•Clinic gowns must be worn by students at all times when providing patient care or while handling contaminated instruments and equipment during clean-up.

•Clinic gowns must be worn on top of the clothing listed above.

•Only gowns provided by the dental school may be used.

•Gowns must be changed daily or more often if visibly soiled with blood.

The following items are not permitted:

•Jeans, stirrup pants, tights alone, leggings, mini-skirts, sweats, and shorts.

•Tee shirts (unless underneath scrubs) and sweatshirts.

•Denim or denim-like fabrics.

•Hats or caps.

•Open-toe shoes, slingbacks, moccasins or sandals.

Identification must be worn at all times in the clinical setting (name labels on gowns or UCSF ID at other times).

Changes

If you believe any improvements can be made in these guidelines, inform the Associated Dental Students President, in writing, of your suggestions or comments.

Adapted from the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry Professional Appearance Code, July 1996 and the UCSF Medical Center Dress Standards.

Approved by UCSF School of Dentistry, Faculty Council, March 5, 1998