Do you wear it well?

Every member of staff has a responsibility for promoting a professional and positive image of the practice. Clothing and appearance should not deliberately cause offence to people who come into contact with the practice.

Every dental practice should have an established policy in place stating the practices position regarding standards of dress and appearance of all employees – including temporary contractors and agency workers. The practice should devise a policy that considers the way employees dress and their appearance to be of significant importance in the safety of patients, team members and also in portraying a professional image to all service users. Appearance and uniform protocols should be topics that are discussed at interview stage and induction. It is also good practice to refresh staff member's knowledge of the staff appearance policy during team meetings. The policy should be reviewed and updated annually by the practice manager. A more frequent review might be required should anything in the practice alter that affects the contents of the policy. The registered provider of the practice has overall responsibility, and the registered/practice manager has the day to day responsibility. Employees have the responsibility to adhere to the content of the practice policy.