Rubbing alcohol, surface disinfectants, and eugenol (oil of cloves for you non-dental people) all contribute to that dreaded dental office smell.  When my oldest daughter was little, we walked into the pediatrician's office and she said, "It smells like shots in here."  Does your dental office smell like shots?  If so, patients would appreciate it if it smelled better.  So what can you do about this?

First of all, make sure that you have an effective ventilation system in your office.  Second, get rid of the eugenol!  Or at the very least triple bag it in Zip-Lock bags then put it in tupperware except on those rare occasions when you will need it.  Third, do not use spray disinfectants--use wipes.  And lastly, experiment with aroma therapy. We have used lavender for years which smells great and has a soothing effect on the patients.  You can buy lavender scented candles, aroma therapy diffusers, and reed diffusers that are dipped in lavender oil.  We also put a drop of lavender oil on our hot moist wash cloths when we are dismissing our patients.  

More recently, I have been trying to get our office to smell like a Tommy Bahama store because those stores smell so good!  Tommy Bahama sells candles and diffusers that smell like a tropical island.  My favorites are Pineapple - Cilantro and Pineapple Coconut.  

Patients are more likely to have a relaxed feeling about the dental office if it doesn't smell like "shots."