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The latest news on COVID-19:

During the COVID-19 crisis, get updates and information at ADA and your state’s website. Please follow the official guidance, stay safe and help limit the spread of the coronavirus.

Contact Us if you have more questions and thank you for your cooperation.

Nail Polish on Female Dentists

Author: Dental Geek
03.18.11 / 9:41 am

Recently, I encountered a great new beauty product: nail polish strips that stay on for up to 10 days with no chipping. If you’re a female reading this, you know that is incredible. This product got me thinking, however, about the appropriateness of nail color on a natural nail as a dental professional. I decided to conduct a small survey to gauge general opinion on the matter.

When I polled my friends and younger classmates, they overwhelmingly responded that as long as the practitioner was wearing gloves, nail polish was fine with them. I even had a few go as far as to say that a well-manicured woman looks like she has got her stuff together. There were, however, a few who responded that they wanted nice clean nails on someone who would be putting their hands in their mouths.

I then turned to some of my favorite faculty, including some really “old school” male doctors.  They thought nail color was something to be frowned upon, and insisted that patients like clean nails. As a student and young professional, as well as someone who fancies herself stylish, my curiosity won out and I applied the strips. From now on, however, I’ll think twice before applying the next great shade. What do you think about nail polish on female dentists?

 

Dental Geek

Dental Geek

5 responses to “Nail Polish on Female Dentists”

  1. As a hygienist, I would love to see nicely done nails on women at work! I believe the “clean, natural” look is past. I am all for it!

  2. Love it Diana! I’m working some pastels into my spring repertoire. Baby pink is a lot different than fluorescent orange 😉

  3. Hi! I’m a 3rd year dentistry student. And i love nail polishes! Since I’ll be taking care of patients this year, I’ll have to put on gloves very often and I know that this will ruin my manicure. Anyway, I will try it with a nice top coat.

    By the way i like this blog. I also have one but its in Turkish im afraid. Keep up the good work! 🙂

  4. I’m a dentist, and I prefer well taken care of nails even if they’re in some bright colors. We all work with gloves, so it technically shouldn’t be a problem. Though I don’t know how nail polish and gloves react with each other; but if they did, I think we’d feel it.
    One of the things I dislike about medics in general (be it dentists or general practitioners) is the unwritten clothing/beauty style ethics that we have, and are required to follow. But either way, I keep my nails to a simple french manicure while at work, which is always elegant, and wouldn’t attract unwanted attention. Less headache that way 🙂

  5. Chip nail polish can harbor bacteria, that’s what some researchers say. It’s a drag but we have to put health before fashion ladies. Do your research thoroughly before you take an action. We are science based professionals, so let’s do the science

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