Do patients care what does a dentist wear? Do they feel more comfortable and perceive dentist as a competent professional because of the attire? Interestingly, the choice of attire for dentists has seen a shift with an increasing trend towards wearing scrubs rather than white coats. Some concerns have been raised regarding the potential anxiety, fear, and infection risks associated with white coats.¹ However, it is worth noting that despite this trend, patients have consistently expressed a preference for dentists wearing white coats. ^2,3,4,5,6,7

This qualitative study utilizes review of literatures and inductive research design to explore disposition of the patients towards dentist’s attire, implications and suggestions for dentists to improve the clinical care experience.

Surprisingly, even though scrubs have become more prevalent over the recent years, white coat wearing dentist is perceived, among the children and adult dental patients, as more favorable and desirable over other forms of attire such as scrubs, casual wears. ^{2,3,4,5,6,7,8} and to even, reduce anxiety ⁹ in anxious dental patients, contrary to conventional wisdom.