1. Dress Code

Students are expected to be neat, clean, and orderly in their dress, and should present themselves to faculty, colleagues and patients in a manner that contributes to their professional development. The faculty are expected to assist students in this process via mentoring and by providing positive role models regarding professional conduct and appropriate attire.

The following dress code shall apply to all students and faculty while in the Health Science Center during usual business hours, from 7:30 am - 5:30 pm, Monday through Friday. The dress code will apply to all usual academic activities, including didactic lectures and exams, preclinical simulation exercises, and clinical patient care activities during the four-year curriculum.

For special events and invited presentations by nationally recognized experts, the event organizer may require that students wear professional business attire.

Attire in General:

During normal school hours, all male faculty members and students must wear a clean, collared dress shirt and tie or college approved scrub top with dress slacks or a scrub top and bottom. Shorts and denim jean slacks are unacceptable attire.

With the approval of the department chair, male faculty members may wear alternative shirt styles.

Acceptable scrub colors will be ciel blue and teal, until the transition to ciel blue is complete. Hosiptal scrubs will be allowed only during hospital rotations.

Male students may wear a standard short/medium length white clinic coat, and male faculty members may war a long white coat, over the dress shirt and should be changes as frequently as necessary to maintain cleanliness. Wearing a clean white lab coat while outside the preclinical or clinical area, such as going to the cafeteria, dining facilities and patient reception areas, is encouraged.

Female faculty members and students must wear a dress, blouse or college approved scrub top and shkirt or slacks, or college approved scrub top and bottom. All skirts and dresses must cover legs to the knees when in a sitting (operator’s) position. Shorts, divided short skirts and denim jean slacks are unacceptable attire. Plain or printed T-shirts will not be an acceptable substitute for a blouse. Blouses must be designed to preclude inappropriate chest or cleavage exposure during procedures.

Female students may wear a standard short/medium length white clinic coat and female faculty members may wear a long white coat, over the above apparel. Clinic jackets must be buttoned and clean. Wearing a clean white lab coat over scrubs while outside the preclinical or clinical area, such as going to the cafeteria, dining facilities and patient reception areas, is encouraged.

Shoes must be clean and in good repair. Appropriate business shoes would be expected with business attire. Clean tennis shoes of cloth or leather are acceptable with scrubs. Leather tennis shoes should be predominately white or black, devoid of fluorescent or bright colorings. Work boots or hiking boots are inappropriate footwear. Open-toed shoes, thongs, or sandals are unacceptable attire. Males should wear appropriate socks so slacks cover legs, scrubs or socks during seated clinical procedures.

Hair must be neatly groomed at all times. Hair should not touch the patient during clinical procedures, nor should it fall in the field of the operator. Hair should be tied back to avoid this situation or contained in a hair bonnet. Usage of hair covers is at the discretion of the department chair and faculty as these are procedure dependent.

Male facial hair should be contained by surgical masks.

Baseball caps and similar athletic headwear are inappropriate attire. Exceptions are made if the attire is for medical reasons, such as chemotherapy.

Fingernails should be clean and trimmed to avoid excessive extension beyond the fingertips. Clear or very pale fingernail polish, without glitter or highlights, is acceptable. Acrylic fingernails are inappropriate for infection control reasons.

Clinic Scrubs Policy:

This policy allows students the option of wearing full scrubs along with the existing dress code options according to the following guidelines.

1. The scrubs will be ciel blue in color (top and bottom) for all of the undergraduate classes. (Teal scrubs will be allowed, in addition to the ciel blue, until the Class of 2004 graduates). No other color of top or bottom is permitted for undergraduate students, with the exception of hospital call rotations.

2. The cost of scrubs is the responsibility of the student.

3. Scrubs may be worn anywhere within the Health Sciences Center Complex. When outside the clinical treatment areas, a white lab jacket is should be worn over the scrub. This includes the communicore, COD hallways, and all dining areas. (This is predicated on having a coat-rack in each clinic that keeps lab coats free from aerosol spray or splatter contaminates.)

4. For any aerosol or splatter producing procedure in patient care clinics a disposable covergown must be worn in addition to the scrub or business attire. The covergown will be disposed of at the end of each clinic session.

5. Scrubs are considered "street clothes" and are to be cleaned as regular clothing.

6. For aerosol or splatter producing procedures involving non-sterile but disinfected extracted teeth in the simulation exercises, a disposable covergown is required.

7. For aerosol or splatter producing procedures involving plastic dentoform teeth in the simulation exercises, a disposable covergown is optional.

8. For reason of modesty and/or warmth, solid white, short-sleeved tee shirt may be worn under the scrub top. This practice is encouraged if inappropriate exposure of the chest are is in question.

9. White T-shirts must be tucked in at the waist. In addition, the scrub top must be tucked in at the waist. Pregnant females may leave the scrub top loose at the waist.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):
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 simulation exercises or patient contact or treatment. The final decision as to the protective equipment required rests with the faculty in the individual clinic or lab as long as adequate protection is provided in accordance with Florida Statutes, CDC and OHSA requirements.

1. General:

a. Fingernails shall be kept short and well groomed. Only clear or very pale nail polish is allowed.

b. Hand or wrist jewelry should be removed prior to washing hands and donning the protective cover gown and gloves.

c. Hair shall be cleared away from the face. Hair must not touch the patient or drop into the operative field.

2. Disposable Protective Covergowns:

a. When entering the clinic, you will be dressed as described by the general dress codes described above. Before beginning any procedure which may produce contaminated aerosols, or involve any patient contact which could result in exposure to patient blood or saliva, you must don a protective covergown.

b. The same covergown will be worn for the entire clinical procedure unless fluid or blood permeates the covergown. At that time, the gown shall be changed. Covergowns may be changed at any time when in the opinion of the person wearing the gown, or the faculty, that change is necessary. Neckties may need to be removed to avoid exposure to contaminated fluids.

c. Disposable protective gowns worn by faculty while covering student clinic do not have to be changed by faculty between patients unless visible contamination occurs.

d. 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 disposal.

3. Gloves:

a. 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.

b. Hands shall be washed with soap and water prior to donning gloves and immediately after removing gloves.

c. Gloves shall be changed if torn or contaminated.

d. Gloves are to be removed when leaving the dental cubicle to use equipment (telephone, laboratory equipment, etc.). New gloves are donned when returning to patient care.

e. Gloves shall be removed prior to handling charts.

f. Upon leaving the clinic, gloves are to be removed and hands washed and dried.

4. Eyewear:

a. Protective eyewear shall be worn by students, faculty, staff, and patients for any patient contact or procedure which could result in exposure to patient blood or saliva.

b. Eyewear in the form of glasses or goggles must have solid side shields. Prescription eyeglasses are acceptable only if they include solid side shields.

c. Chin length face shields may be substituted for glasses or goggles.

d. Eyewear shall be disinfected between patients following the guidelines and materials detailed in the Infection Control Document and in accordance with manufacturer's recommendations.

5. Masks:

a. Disposable masks must be used with the above eyewear even if chin-length face shields are used.

b. Masks must be changed if they become torn, saturated with operator saliva, or otherwise contaminated.

c. Masks are not to be worn outside of the clinic. They are to be disposed of in an appropriate red bag.

6. 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.

7. A translator or necessary adjunct individual, who remains in the operatory during a procedure, must don the appropriate PPE.

Guidance as to personal protective equipment (PPE) usage is available from the Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs and the Clinical Affairs Committee.

NOTE: Food and drink are not allowed in the simulation lab, clinics or clinical labs.

Nametags:

Students, faculty, and staff are required to wear their UF picture ID’s at all times.

Compliance:

A violation of the UFCD dress code will result in one of the following sanctions pending the type and frequency of non-compliant behavior.

a. Counseling or dismissal from a lecture, seminar, or exam by the presenter
b. Counseling or dismissal from a clinic session by attending clinical faculty
c. Generation of an Infection Control Variance
d. Reduction in "professionalism" portion of clinical assessment
e. Counseling by the Director of Clinics or the Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs for repeated non-compliance
f. Suspension from clinical activities for a period to be determined by the appropriate faculty in conjunction with the Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs.

Students should use discretion and present a professional image. If uncertainty exists, the lecturer, or attending clinical faculty should be consulted.

2. Binocular Loupes

Binocular loupes used for magnification in dentistry are available to the profession. The College of Dentistry does not require students to purchase loupes, however, many students and faculty alike find them a significant aid and some find them an absolute necessity for proper vision in order to provide dental care.

3. Dental Clinic Services

As a dental student, you will probably be asked how family and friends can obtain dental treatment in the University of Florida Dental Clinic. Please follow these procedures:

Routine Dental Care:

Prospective patients (other than dental students) should call (352)392-8014 and request a screening appointment. These appointments are available Monday through Friday in the mornings and afternoons. The purpose of this screening appointment is to briefly examine the prospective patient and determine if his/her dental treatment needs are suitable for the undergraduate student clinics. There is a $40 fee for the screening appointment. This appointment will include a brief health history review, an brief intraoral examination, and the anticipated dental treatment plan. Full mouth radiographs (x-rays), including a panoramic film may be taken at this visit and are included in the screening fee. If the prospective patient has recent radiographs from a private dentist he/she should bring those films to the screening appointment. Payment of the screening fee does not guarantee acceptance into the student program. Patients with treatment needs too complex or difficult for the undergraduate students will be referred to one of the resident or faculty clinics within the College or to a dentist in private practice.

Any dental student who would like to become a patient should contact faculty in the Treatment Planning Clinic - Clinic 1A for an evaluation and referral to patient assignment. Dental students do not have to make a screening appointment as described above.

Emergency Dental Treatment:

The Student Oral Surgery Clinic, located on the first floor of the Dental Science Building, operates from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday, except for State holidays. Patients with emergency dental problems, such as pain, bleeding, or swelling, should report to the Student Oral Surgery Clinic admission desk at 8:00 am for a morning appointment or 1:00 pm for an afternoon appointment. A fee of $75 is charged in advance of being examined. This fee covers a diagnostic exam, necessary radiographs and a routine extraction of one tooth if indicated. A separate charge may be incurred for additional treatment. Minors requiring emergency care must have a parent or legal guardian sign for dental care and remain available during treatment.

4. HIV/AIDS Policy of the State University System

A university committee consisting of representatives shall be responsible for implementing and administering the SUS Policy on HIV/AIDS in specific cases, and coordinating the university's efforts in educating the university community on aspects of HIV/AIDS. The University will make available to its students and employees information about the transmission of HIV/AIDS and what precaution can be taken by individuals to prevent the spread of the disease. The committee will meet regularly to recommend appropriate actions and to monitor the university's efforts.

The University Committee on HIV/AIDS will designate an HIV/AIDS counselor available to answer questions and provide counseling to both students and employees. Contact with the HIV/AIDS Counselor will be confidential. Each University will make available to its students and employees information about the transmissibility of the disease and precautions that may be taken by AIDS victims and non-victims to prevent the spread of the disease.

General Guidelines: For the purpose of these guidelines, an individual infected with HIV/AIDS is one who: a) is diagnosed as having AIDS; or b) is asymptotic but has shown by appropriate testing to have antibodies of HIV or its antigens in blood, body fluids or tissue.

The evidence demonstrates that the HIV transmission requires direct contact with infected body fluids to cause infection. The greatest risks are: contaminated syringes and needles, infected blood or body fluids, or homosexual or heterosexual contact with an infected person.

Admissions: An individual's HIV/AIDS status may not be considered in the application for admission to the university.

Disclosure of Infectious Disease Status: The College requires all registered students who suspect or know themselves to be positive for certain infectious diseases to disclose that information to the Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs 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.

Suspensions, and Withdrawals: No student will be required to cease attending the university solely on the basis of a diagnosis of HIV/AIDS. Such decisions will be made only after reasonable accommodations have been made and an examination of the facts demonstrates that the student can no longer perform as required.

HIV/AIDS Counseling: For more information about AIDS and this policy, please contact the Student Health Care Center at 392-1161.

For additional information, contact Dr. Robert Bates, Acting Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs, 392-2911.