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11/7/2017 |
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Tattoos, Piercings: How Dental Professionals Can Decide What Is Tasteful Art Among Colleagues |
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Tattoos, Piercings: How Dental Professionals Can Decide What Is Tasteful Art Among Colleagues by Jamie Collins, RDH, CDA Are tattoos and piercings considered an art, or are considered stigma in the dental setting? The opinions about visible tattoos in a professional dental practice are widely varied. I have worked in a multitude of dental practices throughout years, with each office different. This experience has allowed me to see how different offices operate, as well as the type of employees at each—good and bad. I have noticed an increase in visible tattoos and facial piercings on employees, ranging from a small one that is barely visible to full-sleeve tattoos on display. Which makes me think, how many are considered too many, and how visible should they be? At the American Dental Hygienists’ Association meeting in Jacksonville last summer, I had the pleasure to overhear conversations among millennial hygiene students about what they thought about the career and what type of office and environment they hoped to belong to upon graduation. Being the curious person I am, I asked to join in and visited with a group of young women for a period of time discussing many subjects, including the idea of tattoos in the workplace. All six of the young students felt that tattoos are a form of self-expression and didn’t seem to think of tattoos as being unprofessional, although I did not notice any visible tattoos on any of the students while we were seated around the table. Many dental hygiene programs restrict facial and numerous ear piercings as part of promoting professional appearances; tattoos on the other hand will be harder to cover at times and are discouraged from being on display. In every type of business, you see all types of people, ranging from very conservative to more expressive in clothing, hair, piercings, and tattoo expressions. It doesn’t make one right or wrong, and the beauty of our society allows us to be individuals and express ourselves as such. Read full article on Dentistry iQ.
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