General Information

Immunizations and Insurance | Dress Code | Support Services | Licensing | Transportation & Parking Information

Immunizations and Insurance

Immunizations: Screening for infectious diseases, prophylaxis/treatment for exposure to communicable disease and immunizations shall be provided and directed by the College of Dentistry or through arrangements with other health providers. All IED students are required to have documentation of immunity to measles, mumps, hepatitis B, and Rubella, and to have an annual tuberculosis skin test. All IED students shall be required to comply with the infection control policies and procedures of the facilities where their rotation occurs.

Disclosure of Infectious Disease Status: The College requires all FTD students who suspect or know themselves to be positive for certain infectious diseases to disclose that information to the Associate Dean for Extramural Programs upon admission to the College or when first suspected or confirmed. The infectious diseases to be reported include, but are not limited to: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, NANB Hepatitis, Tuberculosis, and sexually transmitted diseases with the exception of HIV disease. While Florida Statutes 760.37 and 760.50 prohibit "interference, coercion, intimidation or discrimination" on the basis of HIV seropositivity, CDC guidelines state that HIV or HBV positive dentists should seek counsel from an expert panel. Therefore, in compliance with these guidelines, students who are HIV antibody positive are encouraged to reveal their seropositive status and seek counseling. Information pertaining to the health status of each individual maintained is strictly confidential.If you have any questions, please contact our Internationally Educated Dentist Program Office at (352)273-6940.

Dress Code

Attire in General:
During normal school hours, all male faculty members and students must wear a clean, collared dress shirt and tie or a college approved scrub top when they are in the dental building (classrooms, clinics, labs). Male students may wear a standard white or light to medium blue clinic coat, and male faculty members may wear a long white coat, over the dress shirt and tie or the scrub top. Clinic jackets or lab coats are to be worn buttoned or zipped, must be clean and unstained at all times and should be changed as frequently as necessary to maintain cleanliness. Do not wear long sleeved shirts under short sleeved jackets. Males must wear slacks or dressy corduroy pants.Female faculty members and students must wear a dress, blouse and skirt or slacks, or pantsuit. A college approved scrub top may be worn instead of a blouse. Female students may wear a standard white or light to medium blue clinic coat, and female faculty members may wear a long white coat, over the above apparel. Clinic jackets must be completely buttoned or zipped, must be clean and unstained at all times and should be changed as frequently as necessary to maintain cleanliness. All skirts and dresses must be no shorter than knee high length. No "skorts" are allowed. No plain or printed T-shirts are allowed.

Clinic Scrubs Policy:
This policy allows students the option of wearing full scrubs along with the existing dress code options with the following guidelines:

• The scrubs will be teal in color (top and bottom) for all of the undergraduate classes. No other
  color of top or bottom is permitted for undergraduate students. Faculty may wear scrubs in solid colors of their own choosing.
• The cost of scrubs is the responsibility of the student.
• Scrubs may be worn anywhere within the Health Sciences Complex. A white lab jacket is optional.
• Scrubs will not take the place of a cover gown; therefore a cover gown must be worn during any aerosol or splatter producing procedure in the clinics.
• Scrubs are considered as "street clothes" and are to be cleaned as clothing.
• Students have the option of wearing clean, all white or all black leather athletic shoes with the scrubs.
• Scrubs must not be imprinted with any logos, nametags or other artwork.
• Any violation of these guidelines will result in the same punishment as any breach of dress code policy.

Unless instructed otherwise by the Course Director or Department Chair, students must dress as detailed above in pre-clinic labs/clinics. You should present a professional image to the patients; use discretion. If you are not sure about your appearance, ask the faculty member in the clinic where you are scheduled. Faculty in each clinic have final authority over the appearance of students in that clinic.Specific examples, (not all inclusive), of a professional image include neatly groomed hair, short manicured fingernails with no colored nail polish, good oral hygiene, and appropriate dress.Specific examples (not all-inclusive) of items not presenting a professional image include hair touching a patient during treatment, long fingernails and/or fingernail polish, denim or corduroy jeans, thongs, sneakers, sandals, hiking or work boots, pullover shirts or shorts, no belt on pants with belt loops, and revealing blouses, shirts, skirts, or dresses.

Clinic Attire for Faculty, Students, Staff:
The purpose of the personal protective equipment listed below is to protect skin, eyes, nose, and mouth from any possible splashes, spray, spatter, or droplets of blood or saliva produced during patient contact or treatment. Not all-patient contact will require using all types of protective equipment. The final decision as to the protective equipment required rests with the faculty in the individual clinic or lab.

• General:
  • Fingernails shall be kept short and well groomed. Only clear nail polish is allowed.
  • Remove any hand or wrist jewelry prior to donning the protective cover gown and gloves.
  • Hair shall be cleared away from the face. Hair must not touch the patient or drop into the operative field.
  • Facial hair shall be covered by a face mask or shield.
• Disposable Protective Cover Gowns:
  • When entering the clinic you will be dressed as described by the general dress codes above. Before beginning any procedure which may produce aerosols, or involve any patient contact which could result in exposure to patient blood or saliva, you shall change from general college attire to clinic attire as described below.
  • Obtain a disposable protective cover gown from clinic personnel. This is a treated paper gown that will cover from the neck to below the knees, provide full arm coverage, and provide tight closure at the neck and wrists.
  • Remove your lab coat or jacket and don the disposable protective gown. This gown will be worn for the entire clinical procedure for this clinic period unless fluid leakage through the gown occurs; at which time the gown shall be changed. Cover gowns may be changed at any time when in the opinion of the person wearing the gown, or the faculty, that change is necessary. Neckties or high neck sweaters/shirts may need to be removed so that they are not exposed to contaminates and to allow for a tight closure of the cover gown at the neck.
  • Disposable protective gowns need not necessarily be changed by faculty between patients in the student clinic unless contamination occurs.
  • Disposable protective gowns must be removed and properly disposed of prior to leaving a clinic. The gowns must not be worn in hallways or other public areas. When leaving a clinic, change back into your general college attire and place the disposable protective cover gown in a red bag for disposable.
• Gloves:
  • Disposable latex or vinyl gloves shall be worn for any patient contact or procedure, which could result in exposure to patient blood or saliva. Gloves will be pulled over the wrist so as to cover the cuffs of the disposable protective cover gown.
  • Hands shall be washed with soap and water prior to donning gloves and immediately after removing gloves.
  • Gloves shall be changed if torn or contaminated. Faculty shall change gloves between patients in the student clinic.
  • Gloves are to be removed when leaving the clinic, or when leaving the dental cubicle to use equipment (telephone, laboratory equipment, etc.). New gloves are donned when returning to patient care.
• Eyewear:
  • Students, faculty, staff and patients for any patient contact or procedure, which could result in exposure to patient blood or saliva, shall wear protective eyewear.
  • Eyewear in the form of glasses or goggles must have solid side shields. Prescription eyeglasses are acceptable only if they include solid side shields.
  • Chin length face shields may be substituted for glasses or goggles.
  • Eyewear shall be disinfected between patients following the guidelines and materials detailed in the Infection Control Document, Section V of the Clinic Procedure Manual.
• Masks:
  • Disposable masks must be used with the above eyewear if chin length face shields are not used.
  • Masks must be changed if they become torn, saturated with operator saliva, or otherwise contaminated.
  • Masks are not to be worn outside of the clinic. They are to be disposed of in an appropriate red bag.
• General:
  • a. Not all-patient contact may require the use of all of the above listed protective equipment. Faculty may modify or delete any of the above listed protective equipment as is appropriate due to individual clinical settings so long as students, staff, patients and faculty remain properly protected. Guidance as to protective equipment usage is available from the Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs and the Clinical Affairs Committee.
  • b. Persons passing through clinics are not required to don clinic attire so long as they do not enter a dental cubicle or treatment room during patient treatment.
    c. Food and drink are not allowed in the clinics. Food and drink are allowed in clinic changing rooms.
• Nametags:
  Students, faculty and staff are required to wear their picture ID's at all times. This is especially important for security purposes to insure everyone's safety.

Support Services

The University of Florida Counseling Center is located in P301 Peabody Hall, 392-1574, can provide suggestions or assistance in areas of personal concern. Appointments may be made in person Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 p.m. Other services include Outreach Programs and Consultation, alcohol and substance abuse, multicultural, women's issues and math confidence. A complete listing of Student Services phone numbers is provided in the UF Student Guide.

Student Health Care Center: Mental health counseling, psychotherapy and psychiatric services are available for a wide range of personal, interpersonal and emotional concerns to all students enrolled for classes at the University of Florida. Student Mental Health is located on the third floor of the Student Health care Center (SHCC) room 245. Hours for the clinic are Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday 8:00 am - 8:00 p.m. Please call 392-1171 for an appointment.

Campus Alcohol and Drug Resource Center: The Campus Alcohol and Drug Resource Center (CADRC) is an educational center which provides presentations and information for classes, residence halls and student organizations. Research and survey data is available. The Center also offers confidential referrals for counseling of alcohol and drug-related problems. The center sponsors the National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week and the National Collegiate Health and Wellness Awareness Week. The CADRC office is located in P207 Peabody Hall, 392-1261. CADRC serves as the advisor to the student organizations, BACCHUS, G.A.M.M.A. and D.A.R.E. (See Office for Student Services).

The Student Health Care Center (SHCC): SHCC is an outpatient clinic that provides primary medical care and a variety of other special services. The SHCC offers UF students an allergy clinic, cast service, the Center for Sexual Assault/Abuse Recovery and Education (CARE), the cold self-care station, clinical laboratory, dermatology clinic, health education, mental health service, nutrition counseling, patient observation unit, radiology and EKG, sports medicine/orthopedics, urinary tract infection clinic and wart treatment. The SHCC also offers student health insurance sponsored by student government and a pharmacy that distributes prescriptions at a reduced cost to students. Appointments are available for your convenience and are encouraged to save waiting time. Walk-in service is also available for urgent care. The SHCC is located on campus in the Infirmary building (next to the Florida Gym). Clinic hours are 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and Noon to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, Sunday and holidays; hours may vary during breaks and holidays. For information call 392-1161, extension 309.

Health Science Center Students: For the convenience of students on the south campus, particularly those at the Health Science Center SHCC, in cooperation with the Department of Community Health and Family Medicine, offers limited Student Health services at the Family and Internal Medicine Clinic (FIM), Room A1-132 at the Health Science Center. Hours for FIM are 8:00 am - 12:00 noon and 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. A physician assistant sees patients by an appointment or work-in/walk-in basis. If a student wishes to see a physician appointments must be made. Effective Spring Semester 1996, the FIM Clinic will have two Shands beepers which can be worn by students awaiting work-in appointments. That way, students can return to studies or clinical activities, and the clinic will notify you when the physician assistant or physician is able to see you. There are no charges for medical consultation; your Student Health fee covers primary care professional fees, which is part of your UF tuition. Unfortunately, this fee does not cover ancillary services, such as laboratory, x-ray, pharmacy, medical supplies, etc. These tests are available at the SHCC on campus at extremely reasonable rates. It is important to note that if you have Student Government Insurance and you have these services performed at Shands Hospital, you will be charged and your insurance will not cover the charges. However, if you need services that are not available at SHCC (such as a MRI scan, specialists, etc.), Plan B of the SG Insurance may cover referrals from SHCC or FIM provider. FIM is unable to offer routine women's yearly health exams, nor routine, complete physicals for men. These services are available at the SHCC Infirmary building.

Health Education Department - Student Health Care Center: Health educators provide individual and group information sessions designed to address specific problems that face college students. Call or visit the service for printed materials and confidential information about such issues as: wellness, self-care, birth control options, AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), nutrition, eating disorders, alcohol/substance abuse, and other health topics. Evening programs in residence halls and for other student groups can be scheduled. Peer education groups are also available to present group programs on safer sex and AIDS, body acceptance and eating disorder prevention, and skin cancer prevention. Information, appointments, and referrals are available by calling 392-1161, extension 281, or by stopping by the Health Education office in the Student Health Care Center. This office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; appointments are available and walk-ins are welcome. The Health Education office is supported by your Student Health Fee; there is no charge for any of the services or printed materials.

Center for Sexual Assault/Abuse Recovery Education (CARE): CARE therapists provide counseling services to victims of sexual assault (including rape, incest and child sexual abuse), sexual harassment and battering. Individual and group counseling are available to both men and women. In addition to counseling services, CARE also provides information to interested persons sexual violence. CARE Peer Educators, who include both graduate and undergraduate students, are specially trained to conduct presentations and provide general information on date/acquaintance rape to residence halls, classrooms and campus organizations. CARE Peer Facilitators are also involved in special programming throughout the year. CARE is located on the third floor of the Student Health Care Center, 392-1161, extension 231. This service is available Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 p.m., appointments are available and walk-ins are welcome.

For students in tuition paying programs, a Student Health Fee is included as part of the registration costs. This fee covers routine outpatient visits at the Student Health Service but is not comprehensive health insurance.

Licensing

State Boards: Each state sets its own dental licensing requirements to practice dentistry within its borders. You should contact the State Board of Dental Examiners in the state you wish to practice to find out the requirements of that state. If you're interested in finding out the requirements of State Boards in Florida, you can check out the Florida Department of Health website at http://www.doh.state.fl.us/mqa/dentistry/dn_home.html

Membership in Professional Organizations

• Attendance at Professional Society Meetings

Regular attendance at professional society meetings is encouraged. Participation in local society activities, such as Dental Health Month and Table Clinic programs is suggested. In addition, attendance at one (1) state level meeting and presentation of a Table Clinic or technical paper at this meeting is encouraged. Attendance at these meetings and participation in these programs and activities shall be at no expense to the University of Florida.

• American Dental Association Membership

Foreign trained dental students are encouraged to obtain membership in the American Dental Association (ADA) as student members of the ADA. All benefits of the association are provided. Student dentist dues are $30.00 dollars per year, payable to the American Dental Association. No charge membership in the local component society is usually available. Contact the American Student Dental Association UFCD president for enrollment.

• American Student Dental Association

The American Student Dental Association is a national student-run organization which protects and advances the rights, interests, and welfare of students pursuing careers in dentistry.

• Florida Dental Association

1113 E. Tennessee Street Suite 200
Tallahassee, FL 32317
Local:(850) 681-3629
Toll Free:(800) 877-7597
Fax:(850) 681-7737

Transportation & Parking Information

Free Bus Service : Riding the bus with Gainesville RTS (Regional Transit System) is free with a valid University of Florida student ID. For more informatin, please visit the RTS website.

For parking information, please visit UF Transportation and Parking Services.

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