Whether you’re planning your future after graduation or just starting your career, you’ll need to consider the scrubs vs. white coat question.
There may not be a global consensus on a dental dress code, but the question about attire comes up regularly. Let’s take a look.
While this particular focus might seem innocuous, especially when compared to more important issues, what you wear can have a significant impact on how you are perceived as a professional. Consequently, it deserves consideration. The most common options you can consider include:
The “white jacket” debate over whether dentists should wear a white coat (lab coat) is as old as time. Doctors first began wearing white coats around the late 19th century. This was a time when science was making significant advancements.
Initially, the white coat was worn as a way to reduce cross-contamination between patients and the physician. However, today, the white jacket or white coat is seen as a symbol of authority and healing. This tradition extended into the dental field as well, helping dentists stand out among their staff, signifying their unique skill set and additional education.
Wearing a jacket is, of course, up to you unless you’ll be working at a practice that requires you to wear a dentist’s white coat. Keep in mind that wearing your white jacket will differentiate you from other professionals in your office as an authoritative figure. This can be seen as good or bad, depending on your practice’s overall atmosphere.
Scrubs are easy-to-clean garments that are ideal for a dental office setting, simplify the decision about what to wear, and nurture a positive work environment. If that wasn’t enough reason to love scrubs, they are also incredibly comfortable, allowing for free movement, so you and your staff can do your job unhindered by constrictive clothing.
You can have fun with scrubs as well, getting various colors and patterns. Some practices choose to have everyone wearing the same color on the same days. When everyone wears dentist scrubs of the same color and with the same insignia, it helps build your brand identity and creates a team atmosphere.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) has always been a part of practicing oral health safely and effectively and is vital for overall wellness. PPE in dentistry includes protective clothing pieces, facemasks, eyewear, face shields, gloves, and more that protect you, your staff, and your patients from potential infection.
Ideally, the wardrobe and/or dental dress code at the practice will involve all the clothing items listed above. While you and your colleagues will be the only ones to don the white coat, you can wear standard, team-uniting scrubs under your coat.
Because infectious diseases are of utmost focus, you should add applicable PPE rules for what to wear over clothing, which will be removed when you leave the patient treatment area and never reused. In reality, wearing your white lab coat, or jacket might not be practical with the additional PPE gear you need to take on and off all day long.
Admittedly, many decisions need to be made after you finish dental school and move into your own practice; dentist attire is just one of them.
Dressing the part is just one way to ensure a strong start to your dental career. Thanks to our six decades of working with dental students and new professionals just like you, we are well-versed in understanding much of what you need to help get your dental career off on the right foot and safeguard your future.
To help you get through your first year in practice, we’ve created a Post Dental School Survival Guide. Get your complimentary copy today to learn about the decisions you’ll face, other skills you may need to learn, strategies for career and financial success, and more.
Get your Survival Guide today!
Treloar & Heisel, an EPIC Company, is a financial services provider to dental and medical professionals across the country. Our insurance and wealth management divisions assist thousands of clients from residency through retirement. We strive to deliver the highest level of service with custom-tailored advice and a strong national network.