Dress Code

The dress code for orientation will be business casual unless noted in the schedule which will be released later.  If you receive your official moss green FIGS scrubs before classes start, you will wear those to class.  If you wait to order your scrubs, you will wear business casual clothing to class until your scrubs arrive.  Please review the file below for the official school dress code. 

Student Dress Code

All dental students at Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine are expected to dress in a manner appropriate to the standards of the dental profession. Our students will meet a standard that reflects well upon the profession and the University and meets all infection control guidelines. Supervision of these guidelines is the responsibility of the faculty.

The standards include, but are not limited to, the following categories:

Personal Hygiene

Exceptional personal hygiene must be maintained at all times. This includes:

● Bathing on a regular basis and the appropriate use of deodorants and antiperspirants as needed.

● Men should be clean-shaven. Beards and mustaches are to be neatly trimmed.

● Nails should be clean and trimmed to a reasonable length that is not likely to puncture gloves.

● Hair is to be clean, managed neatly, and must satisfy infection control guidelines.

● Personal jewelry must not interfere with patient treatment or represent a personal hazard in the lab or clinic areas. Jewelry must meet all infection control guidelines.

● The use of perfumes and colognes is strongly discouraged as many individuals are allergic.

Clothing

Approved clinic dress is required at all times in the clinics, laboratories, and classrooms.

● Dress for all students consists of a scrub shirt and pants as approved and assigned to the student’s particular class.

o Class members must wear the same color from the same manufacturer in order to distinguish between the class years.

o The chosen scrubs and color are to be plain with the student’s name, CWRU, and or School of Dental Medicine embroidered in white.

o Scrubs must be clean, in good repair, and not inordinately wrinkled.

o Tee shirts beneath scrubs must be plain without log or design. Color of tee shirts should reflect the professional standard inherent in this dress code.

● There will be times, such as graduate program interviews, when scrubs are not appropriate. On those occasions, appropriate business attire is required.

● As required by Infection Control Policies, when treating patients, OSHA compliant clinic gowns must be worn. There are no exceptions.

● As required by Infection Control Policies, Clinic gowns may not be worn outside of the clinics.

Additional Specifics

● Shoes must be plain, they must completely cover the feet, and be clean. No open toe shoes are allowed.

● Socks/stockings are to be worn at all times.

● Tank tops are not permitted.

● Hats may not be worn indoors unless required by religious observances, etc.

Students who do not adhere to the dress code of the Case Western University School of Dental Medicine may be removed from the clinics. The faculty may refer clinical violations to the appropriate dental school officer including the Infection Control Officer, Associate Dean of Clinic Operations, the Director of Patient Services, or the Director of Student Services.